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2026 SEC Football Schedule: ESPN announces kickoff times, windows for conference games

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With just a few months to go until the 2026 college football season, the SEC schedule is coming into focus. ESPN announced kickoff times and windows for each game the conference controls.

The first three weeks had already been announced ahead of Wednesday’s reveal show. That includes Lane Kiffin’s return to Ole Miss for the first time as LSU head coach, which is getting the primetime treatment in Week 3. This year’s SEC schedule will also be the first for the league with nine conference games.

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Games without kickoff times had four windows: early, afternoon, night or flex. A flex window means it will kick off at either afternoon or night. Here is the full schedule of kickoff times and windows for SEC football games in 2026.

All times Eastern

Week 1

Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Missouri – Sept. 3, 8 p.m., SEC Network
East Carolina vs. Alabama – Sept. 5, Noon, ABC
Kent State vs. South Carolina – Sept. 5, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Youngstown State vs. Kentucky – Sept. 5, 1 p.m., SEC Network+
Tennessee State vs. Georgia – Sept. 5, 3 p.m., SEC Network+
Baylor vs. Auburn (in Atlanta) – Sept. 5, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Texas State vs. Texas – Sept. 5, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Furman vs. Tennessee – Sept. 5, 3:30 p.m., SEC Network+
North Alabama vs. Arkansas – Sept. 5, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Missouri State vs. Texas A&M – Sept. 5, 7 p.m., ESPN
Austin Peay vs. Vanderbilt – Sept. 5, 7 p.m., SEC Network+
Clemson vs. LSU – Sept. 5, 7:30 p.m., ABC
UL Monroe vs. Mississippi State – Sept. 5, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
Florida Atlantic vs. Florida – Sept. 5, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
UTEP vs. Oklahoma – Sept. 5, TBD, SEC Network+
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (in Nashville) – Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m., ABC

The first week of the SEC’s 2026 season will see a weeknight matchup as Missouri welcomes Arkansas-Pine Bluff for a Thursday game. From there, the full slate of games notably includes a rematch between Clemson and LSU in Lane Kiffin’s debut.

Week 2

Missouri vs. Kansas – Sept. 11, 8 p.m., FOX
Arizona State vs. Texas A&M – Sept. 12, Noon, ABC
Oklahoma vs. Michigan – Sept. 12, Noon, FOX
Western Kentucky vs. Georgia – Sept. 12, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Alabama vs. Kentucky – Sept. 12, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Delaware vs. Vanderbilt – Sept. 12, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Campbell vs. Florida – Sept. 12, 5:30 p.m., SEC Network+
Towson vs. South Carolina – Sept. 12, 7 p.m., SEC Network+
Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech – Sept. 12, 7 p.m., ESPN
Ohio State vs. Texas – Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Louisiana Tech vs. LSU – Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network+
Southern Miss vs. Auburn – Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m. or 7:45 p.m., ESPNU or SEC Network
Charlotte vs. Ole Miss – Sept. 12, 7:45 p.m., ESPN2 or SEC Network
Arkansas vs. Utah – Sept. 12, 10:15 p.m., ESPN

In Week 2, an early intra-conference SEC football game is on the schedule. Alabama will head to Lexington to take on Kentucky in an early conference matchup in the 3:30 p.m. ET time slot on ABC.

Week 3

Georgia vs. Arkansas – Sept. 19, Noon, ABC
NC State vs. Vanderbilt – Sept. 19, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Troy vs. Missouri – Sept. 19, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network+
Florida Sta te vs. Alabama – Sept. 19, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Kentucky vs. Texas A&M – Sept. 19, 3:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Mississippi State vs. South Carolina – Sept. 19, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Florida vs. Auburn – Sept. 19, 7 p.m., ESPN
LSU vs. Ole Miss – Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m., ABC
New Mexico vs. Oklahoma – Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Kennesaw Sta te vs. Tennessee – Sept. 19, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
UTSA vs. Texas – Sept. 19, 8 p.m., SEC Network+

Another high-profile rematch will take place in Week 3 on ABC. Alabama will go for revenge against Florida Sta te after last year’s season-opening loss – this time at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Week 4

Texas vs. Tennessee – Sept. 26, Noon, ABC or ESPN
South Alabama vs. Kentucky – 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Tulsa vs. Arkansas – Sept. 26, 8 p.m., SEC Network+
Vanderbilt vs. Auburn – Sept. 26, Afternoon window
South Carolina vs. Alabama – Sept. 26, Night window
Missouri vs. Mississippi State – Sept. 26, Night window
Oklahoma vs. Georgia – Sept. 26, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Ole Miss vs. Florida – Sept. 26, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Texas A&M vs. LSU – Sept. 26, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)

For just the second time ever, Oklahoma and Georgia will play each other in football as part of the SEC’s Week 4 schedule. The two teams last squared off in 2017 when the Bulldogs got a 54-48 victory in the Rose Bowl.

Week 5

McNeese State vs. LSU – Oct. 3, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
Vanderbilt vs. Georgia – Oct. 3, Early window
Alabama vs. Mississippi State – Oct. 3, Early window
Florida vs. Missouri – Oct. 3, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Kentucky vs. South Carolina – Oct. 3, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Auburn vs. Tennessee – Oct. 3, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M – Oct. 3, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)

The Week 5 slates has plenty of flex opportunities in the SEC, but the early window will have an intriguing matchup in Athens. Vanderbilt will take on Georgia after the Commodores signed former Bulldogs commit Jared Curtis on the recruiting trail.

Week 6

Texas vs. Oklahoma (in Dallas) – Oct. 10, 3:30 p.m., ABC or ESPN
Georgia vs. Alabama – Oct. 10, Night window
South Carolina vs. Florida – Oct. 10, Early window
Texas A&M vs. Missouri – Oct. 10, Early window
LSU vs. Kentucky – Oct. 10, Night window
Tennessee vs. Arkansas – Oct. 10, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt – Oct. 10, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)

The Red River Showdown will again kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET to highlight the Week 6 slate. That game will air either on ABC or ESPN from the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Week 7

The Citadel vs. Texas A&M – Oct. 17, 1 p.m., SEC Network+
Florida vs. Texas – Oct. 17, Early window
Mississippi State vs. LSU – Oct. 17, Early window
Auburn vs. Georgia – Oct. 17, Afternoon window
Missouri vs. Ole Miss – Oct. 17, Afternoon window
Alabama vs. Tennessee – Oct. 17, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt – Oct. 17, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Kentucky vs. Oklahoma – Oct. 17, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)

The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry will be in the afternoon slot in Week 7 as Auburn heads to Athens to take on Georgia. Of course, that day will also feature the Third Saturday in October showdown between Alabama and Tennessee on Rocky Top.

Week 8

LSU vs. Auburn – Oct. 24, Noon, ABC or ESPN
Tennessee vs. South Carolina – Oct. 24, Afternoon window
Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky – Oct. 24, Night window
Texas A&M vs. Alabama – Oct. 24, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Oklahoma vs. Mississippi State – Oct. 24, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Ole Miss vs. Texas – Oct. 24, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)

At Noon ET in Week 8, Lane Kiffin and LSU will head to Jordan-Hare Stadium to start the day of games. The Tigers will take on Auburn on either ABC or ESPN in that slot.

Week 9

Florida vs. Georgia (in Atlanta) – Oct. 31, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Auburn vs. Ole Miss – Oct. 31, Early window
Mississippi State vs. Texas – Oct. 31, Night window
Missouri vs. Arkansas – Oct. 31, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
South Carolina vs. Oklahoma – Oct. 31, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)

While EverBank Stadium undergoes construction, the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will move to Atlanta. Florida will take on Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Oct. 31 in the coveted 3:30 p.m. ET slot on ABC.

Week 10

Texas vs. Missouri – Nov. 7, Early window
Arkansas vs. Auburn – Nov. 7, Early window
Texas A&M vs. South Carolina – Nov. 7, Afternoon window
Kentucky vs. Tennessee – Nov. 7, Night window
Alabama vs. LSU – Nov. 7, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Georgia vs. Ole Miss – Nov. 7, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Oklahoma vs. Florida – Nov. 7, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Vanderbilt vs. Mississippi State – Nov. 7, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)

A College Football Playoff rematch highlights the Week 10 schedule in the SEC. Ole Miss and Georgia will square off in Oxford for the first time since the Rebels defeated the Bulldogs to advance in last year’s postseason.

Week 11

Alabama vs. Vanderbilt – Nov. 14, Early window
Auburn vs. Mississippi State – Nov. 14, Early window
Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma – Nov. 14, Afternoon window
Florida vs. Kentucky – Nov. 14, Night window
South Carolina vs. Arkansas – Nov. 14, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Missouri vs. Georgia – Nov. 14, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Texas vs. LSU – Nov. 14, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M – Nov. 14, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)

One of the budding rivalries in the SEC will highlight the early window in Week 11. That’s when Alabama will take on Vanderbilt in Nashville for the first time since a 2024 upset win by the Commodores, led by Diego Pavia.

Week 12

Wofford vs. Ole Miss – Nov. 21, Noon, SEC Network+
Tennessee Tech vs. Mississippi State – Nov. 21, 1 p.m., SEC Network+
Chattanooga vs. Alabama – Nov. 21, 2 p.m., SEC Network+
Samford vs. Auburn – Nov. 21, 3:30 p.m., SEC Network+
Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma – Nov. 21, Early window
Vanderbilt vs. Florida – Nov. 21, Early window
Arkansas vs. Texas – Nov. 21, Afternoon window
Kentucky vs. Missouri – Nov. 21, Night window
Georgia vs. South Carolina – Nov. 21, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
LSU vs. Tennessee – Nov. 21, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)

Amid some non-conference games in Week 12, a very intriguing game is on tap at Neyland Stadium. Lane Kiffin will once again return to Tennessee, doing so for the first time as LSU head coach in either the afternoon or primetime slot.

Week 13

Egg Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss – Nov. 27, Noon, ABC
Florida vs. Florida State – Nov. 21, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Lone Star Showdown: Texas vs. Texas A&M – Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m., ABC
LSU vs. Arkansas – Nov. 28, Early window
Louisville vs. Kentucky – Nov. 28, Early window
Oklahoma vs. Missouri – Nov. 28, Afternoon window
Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt – Nov. 28, Night window
Iron Bowl: Auburn vs. Alabama – Nov. 28, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
Clean Old Fashioned Hate: Georgia Tech vs. Georgia – Nov. 28, TBD (Flex – afternoon or night)
South Carolina vs. Clemson – Nov. 28, TBD

As is tradition, Rivalry Week closes out the 2026 college football regular season. The SEC will have a Black Friday tripleheader, which starts with the Egg Bowl, and a full slate of rivalry games across the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Following the college football regular season schedule, the SEC Championship will again take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game will kick off Dec. 5.