The Vaught
The 2026 college football season is on the horizon and SEC Network (SECN) kicks off its 13th college football season in CoMo on Thursday, Sept. 3 as Missouri hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 8 p.m. ET. SEC Network’s season opener is one of 37 matchups featuring Southeastern Conference teams across ESPN networks in the first three weeks of the season, including 10 televised on SECN.
Following the scheduling format that debuted two seasons ago, television windows will be announced for all remaining SEC-controlled games on Wednesday, June 10 (i.e., Early: noon to 1 p.m. start, Afternoon: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. start, or Night: 6 to 8 p.m. start). Select games will be tagged as Flex games, with either an Afternoon or Night window start. Inside the 2026 Football Schedule premieres at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10 to break down the full SEC schedule.
Kickoff Week
ESPN networks are home to 61 games during Week 1, beginning Thursday, Sept. 3 and running through Labor Day. SEC Network is set for a tripleheader on the first Saturday of play as Kent State faces South Carolina (12:45 p.m.), North Alabama heads to Arkansas (4:15 p.m.) and Florida Atlantic at Florida (7:45 p.m.).
Additionally, on the first weekend of play, ESPN networks highlight multiple SEC teams in action, starting with the 16th-ranked Crimson Tide hosting East Carolina on ABC (Sept. 5, noon). Following that matchup, the Aflac Kickoff Game returns and is set to showcase the Auburn Tigers with first year head coach Alex Golesh taking on the Baylor Bears in Atlanta, Ga. on ABC (Sept. 5, 3:30 p.m.). Closing out the night on ABC is Lane Kiffin’s first game as the No. 11 LSU Tigers’ head coach, with the Clemson Tigers heading to Death Valley for the primetime matchup (7:30 p.m.).
As part of an ESPN Saturday doubleheader, the No. 5 Texas Longhorns face Texas State (3:30 p.m.) and No. 10 Texas A&M host Missouri State (7 p.m.).
The weekend continues in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday with the inaugural Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff as the ninth-ranked Ole Miss Rebels face off against the 21st-ranked Louisville Cardinals in Nissan Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
Weeks 2 and 3
Week 2 action is highlighted by the first conference bout of the season when No. 16 Alabama travels to Lexington, Ky., to take on the Kentucky Wildcats (Sept. 12). The game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
SEC Network showcases No. 3 Georgia, Vanderbilt and either No. 9 Ole Miss or Auburn during Week 2, then spotlights Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, South Carolina and No. 25 Tennessee during Week 3 action.
Week 3 also features a triple of SEC on ABC, beginning with No. 3 Georgia at Arkansas at noon, followed by a 3:30 p.m. matchup between Florida State and No. 16 Alabama. The night closes out with one of the most anticipated games of the 2026 season as the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels host the No. 11 LSU Tigers in Oxford, Miss. The matchup kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
Schedules are subject to change. Please continue to check @ESPNPR and ESPN Press Room for more information. The broadcast schedule for the 2026-27 College Football Playoff will be announced on Monday, June 1, ESPN’s Bowl Season schedule will be revealed on Wednesday, June 3, and the times and windows for the rest of the SEC’s schedule will be unveiled on Wednesday, June 10. Additional scheduling details, including commentator assignments for Kickoff Week, will be announced later this summer.
ESPN Networks – 2026 Early Season SEC Football Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Where to Watch |
| Thu, Sep 3 | 8 p.m. | Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Missouri | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 5 | Noon | East Carolina at No. 16 Alabama | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 12:45 p.m. | Kent State at South Carolina | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 1 p.m. | Youngstown State at Kentucky | SEC Network+ |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 3 p.m. | Tennessee State at No. 3 Georgia | SEC Network+ |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 3:30 p.m. | Aflac Kickoff Game: Baylor vs. Auburn (Atlanta, Ga.) | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 3:30 p.m. | Texas State at No. 5 Texas | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 3:30 p.m. | Furman at No. 25 Tennessee | SEC Network+ |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 4:15 p.m. | North Alabama at Arkansas | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 7 p.m. | Missouri State at No. 10 Texas A&M | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 7 p.m. | Austin Peay at Vanderbilt | SEC Network+ |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Clemson at No. 11 LSU | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 7:30 p.m. | UL Monroe at Mississippi State | ESPNU |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 7:45 p.m. | Florida Atlantic at Florida | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 5 | TBD | UTEP at No. 13 Oklahoma | SEC Network+ |
| Sun, Sep 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff: No. 21 Louisville vs. No. 9 Ole Miss (Nashville, Tenn.) | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 12 | Noon | Arizona State at No. 10 Texas A&M | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 12:45 p.m. | Western Kentucky at No. 3 Georgia | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 16 Alabama at Kentucky | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 4:15 p.m. | Delaware at Vanderbilt | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 5:30 p.m. | Campbell at Florida | SEC Network+ |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 7 p.m. | No. 25 Tennessee at Georgia Tech | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 7 p.m. | Towson at South Carolina | SEC Network+ |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 1 Ohio State at No. 5 Texas | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 7:30 p.m. | Louisiana Tech at No. 11 LSU | SEC Network+ |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 7:30 p.m. or 7:45 p.m. | Southern Miss at Auburn | ESPNU or SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 7:45 p.m. | Charlotte at No. 9 Ole Miss | ESPN2 or SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 10:15 p.m. | Arkansas at No. 18 Utah | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 19 | Noon | No. 3 Georgia at Arkansas | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 19 | 12:45 p.m. | NC State at Vanderbilt | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 19 | 12:45 p.m. | Troy at Missouri | SEC Network+ |
| Sat, Sep 19 | 3:30 p.m. | Florida State at No. 16 Alabama | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 19 | 3:30 p.m. | Kentucky at No. 10 Texas A&M | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| Sat, Sep 19 | 4:15 p.m. | Mississippi State at South Carolina | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 19 | 7 p.m. | Florida at Auburn | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 19 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 11 LSU at No. 9 Ole Miss | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 19 | 7:30 p.m. | New Mexico at No. 13 Oklahoma | ESPN2 |
| Sat, Sep 19 | 7:45 p.m. | Kennesaw State at No. 25 Tennessee | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 19 | 8 p.m. | UTSA at No. 5 Texas | SEC Network+ |
| Fri, Nov 27 | Noon | Mississippi State at No. 9 Ole Miss | ABC |
| Fri, Nov 27 | 3:30 p.m. | Florida at Florida State | ABC |
| Fri, Nov 27 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 5 Texas at No. 10 Texas A&M | ABC |
| Sat, Dec 5 | 4 p.m. | SEC Championship Game (Atlanta, Ga.) | ABC |
*Rankings from ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25
About SEC Network
The Southeastern Conference and ESPN launched SEC Network on August 14, 2014. The network televises hundreds of games across the SEC’s 22 sports annually. Programming includes in-depth analysis and storytelling in studio shows such as SEC Nation, Marty & McGee, Read & React and Rally Cap, daily news and information with The Paul Finebaum Show and SEC Now, original content such as the Emmy Award-winning TrueSouth, SEC Storied and SEC Inside, and more. Hundreds of additional live events are available for streaming exclusively on SEC Network’s digital companion, SEC Network+, via the ESPN App and SECNetwork.com. Follow SEC Network on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter/X.