Alabama football has another schedule change coming in light of the SEC's announcement that it will expand conference scheduling to nine games in 2026.
The Crimson Tide recently dropped its home-and-home series with West Virginia and set a matchup with East Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2026, but UA director of athletics Greg Byrne told The Tuscaloosa News that the revisions aren't stopping there.
"Scheduling conversations happen regularly. We still have one adjustment to make for the 2026 schedule," Byrne said.
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Byrne didn't clarify what exactly that adjustment would be, or when it will be announced.
Alabama already has a full non-conference slate with games against East Carolina, South Florida and Florida State on the books paired with a nine-game SEC schedule. One of those games could be dropped or moved to a different year, although a change with the recently-signed East Carolina contest seems unlikely.
Alternatively, the adjustment could be nothing more than a change of date. All three of the non-conference games are currently set for September.
Alabama has future series scheduled with out-of-conference opponents Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, Arizona, Minnesota, Boston College and Virginia Tech, with contracts for games stretching midway through the 2030s. The move to nine league games is expected to create change in those deals as it did with the West Virginia home-and-home that was canceled.
"We also have the future years to work though," Byrne said, adding that he and coach Kalen DeBoer still "need to talk more about what that looks like."
According to the game contract between South Florida and Alabama obtained by The Tuscaloosa News, if a cancellation of the 2026 game were to occur, the breaching school would pay $2 million in damages if cancelation occurs fewer than 18 months before the game.
If a cancellation were to occure between Alabama and Florida State, the game contract outlines that the breaching school would pay $2 million in damages. But if "the Atlantic Coast Conference or Southeastern Conference requires an eleven (11) game conference schedule," the damages would reduce to $500,000.
As the 2026 schedule stands, Alabama would play East Carolina on Sept. 5, South Florida on Sept. 12 and host the Seminoles on Sept. 19.
In 2027, Alabama is scheduled to travel to Ohio State for a Sept. 18 matchup, starting a home-and-home series with the Buckeyes. In addition to Ohio State, the 2028 schedule is set to feature a visit from UT-Martin − coached by quarterback Ty Simpson 's father, Jason Simpson − on Sept. 16 and a Sept. 23 trip to Oklahoma State.
"We've done some preliminary studies, but obviously, going to nine SEC games, having to have Power Four non-conference games, that's a lot," Byrne said. "There's a requirement that we play one Power Four non-conference game, we will do that, and some of the matchups we have ahead of us with the Ohio States and the Notre Dames, we're really excited about."
Byrne vowed that Alabama will do its "very best" to ensure that the team and its fans will get "great matchups each season."
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football schedule change for 2026 expected for non-conference
