The 2028 Alabama Crimson Tide schedule has 13 opponents. It is nine SEC games, plus home games against Georgia State, Ohio State, UT Martin, and a road game at Oklahoma State.
One of the games must go away. Sensibly, it should be the Ohio State game. Many in the college football world are trying to shame Alabama into keeping the game on the 2028 schedule after also playing the Buckeyes in Columbus in 2027.
One of the lead shamers is Ohio State AD Ross Bjork, who said, "We expect (the two-game series) to be played. “We should never be afraid to play anybody. We're Ohio State. People probably should be afraid to play us, right?"
Obviously, Bjork is posturing that the only reason Alabama would cancel the games is that the Crimson Tide is afraid of the Buckeyes. It is not hard to find media sources that buy into that theme. USA Today's Blake Toppmeyer wrote, "Alabama can’t duck Ohio State now, right? Surely, the SEC’s famed elephant can’t tuck trunk and run from playing scheduled games against the Buckeyes in the 2027 and ’28 seasons."
To be clear, I respect Toppmeyer's work and often agree with his perspectives. In this case, he is far more wrong than right. He is correct that many Alabama football fans would love to have both of the games, especially the one in Tuscaloosa. But the nine-game SEC schedule has to change scheduling philosophies. Alabama does not need the 2028 game against Ohio State or the 2027 one.
Let's be real about Alabama and Big Ten teams
There is considerable sanctimony in suggesting Alabama is ducking any team. First, the SEC mandates that every team plays a Power Four (or Notre Dame) non-conference opponent every season. The Big Ten does not. Secondly, the newly anointed Kings of college football, the Indiana Hoosiers, won it all last season without playing any Power Four non-conference opponents in the regular season.
Based on current future schedules, the Hoosiers do not play a regular-season Power Four opponent until 2030, when they play Notre Dame.