Following the Big 10’s footsteps, the SEC has now scheduled a 9-conference game schedule, starting from the 2026 season. While initially it’s a move that doesn’t have many critics, now it appears bluebloods like Alabama are facing the schedule’s heat. The team’s scheduling with Ohio State has now faced a fresh roadblock, according to Bama loyal Paul Finebaum.

Finebaum appeared on a February 6 interview with 97.1 The Fan and explained why Alabama won’t play its two consecutive home-and-home games with Ohio State. “I sincerely doubt the Alabama game is going to happen based on what I’ve heard from Alabama’s AD,” Finebaum said. “He’s got a shaky situation there anyway, with a coach who is in trouble. Georgia might do it because they are a little more in tune in a line.

But I really don’t think we’re going to go too far and see those games. And I know what Ross Bjork has said. But the reality is that the 9th SEC game is going to be very costly for a lot of programs,” the SEC Network host added. Alabama and Ohio State agreed on the series agreement back in 2020, when the 9-game schedule wasn’t in the picture.

As per the series agreement between the two programs, Ohio State and Alabama will play a game each in 2027 and 2028. The first game is scheduled to take place in Columbus on September 18, 2027. Whereas the second game will be in Tuscaloosa on September 9, 2028. Apart from Ohio State, the Tuscaloosa program also has two games scheduled with Notre Dame for 2028 and 2029.

SEC is already stacked with tough opponents, and the non-conference slate helps to give a breather between games. Moreover, since teams put weaker and G-5 programs on their 4 non-conference games, guaranteeing them those 4 wins. But now with 3 games, and one of them being Ohio State, the margin of error is slimmer than error. A loss against Ohio State and two more losses can easily topple playoff chances, something Bama can’t afford.

“This series with Ohio State adds another outstanding non-conference opponent to our future football schedules,” Greg Byrne had said. “We are thrilled at the progress we’ve made in securing such quality home-and-homes that will provide tremendous opportunities for our team and an exciting game day atmosphere for our fans in the coming years.”

In 2025, Alabama’s playoff chances were in serious jeopardy after the team lost its first non-conference game against FSU, despite losing just one game in the regular season. Thereafter, the UGA loss in the SEC title game further worsened Bama’s chances, and its entry itself was fairly controversial in the playoffs. Thereafter, a blowout 38-3 loss against Indiana in the playoff quarterfinal has worsened the perception of Kalen DeBoer in Tuscaloosa.

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Paul Finebaum has described Kalen DeBoer on a “scorching hot seat,” and questions are now louder than ever about Kalen DeBoer being Nick Saban’s successor. Needing a deep playoff run and a dominant controversy-free season is the need of the hour, and that explains why Alabama’s AD, Greg Byrne, is pushing for exiting the agreement with Ohio State.

Are Alabama’s 2027 and 2026 schedules tough?

In the 2026 season, Alabama has non-conference opponents in ECU, UTC, and Florida State. Except for FSU, the other opponents would not be hard to beat, and Alabama will just have to take care of its conference schedule in the 2026 season. Even with FSU, it won’t be hard for Alabama. The Seminoles have managed to record just 7 wins for the past two seasons; a win won’t be hard to extract.

In 2027, Alabama will have Marshall as its first non-conference opponent, followed by Ohio State. It remains to be seen which third non-conference opponent Alabama adds for its 2027 schedule if it decides to play Ohio State finally. As for Ohio State, given the team’s dominance in recent years, it won’t have to worry much about its non-conference slate.

In 2026, OSU has Texas, Ball State, and Kent State as the first three games of the season. OSU did beat Texas last year in a dominant defensive showing and can do that again. The rest of the two have victories written already. Now it remains to be seen if Alabama makes tweaks to its schedule or not. Alabama and West Virginia already canceled their home-and-home series in 2026, and the same can happen to Ohio State.