The SEC will officially begin its shortened 2020 college football season Sept. 26 with conference-only games headlined by Alabama taking on Missouri. It’s the only time the Crimson Tide will be featured on ESPN.
Like we’ve seen in previous seasons, there’s going to be a ton of huge matchups within a conference that has dominated the broader college football landscape. That’s no more true than during a 2020 campaign that will, at least initially, not include the Big Ten and Pac-12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SEC on Tuesday released its ESPN schedule. Given that the Pac-12 and Big Ten are not part of the equation, the four-letter network is focusing on the south.
LSU-Florida will headline SEC’s ESPN schedule
These two top-10 teams will do battle Oct. 17 in Gainesville on ESPN. The defending champion Tigers rank sixth in the Associated Press top-25, and are going to look much different on offense this season.
Meanwhile, the Gators have national title aspirations with quarterback Kyle Trask under center for head coach Dan Mullen.
In any event, here are the biggest SEC games on ESPN as the 2020 college football season gets going.
- #11 Auburn at #4 Georgia (7:30 PM ET, Oct. 3)
- #6 LSU at #8 Florida (3:30 PM ET, Oct. 17)
You might be noticing a lack of Alabama games on ESPN. That makes sense given that the Crimson Tide remain the SEC’s biggest draw, and the conference has an ongoing relationship with CBS.
As part of the abbreviated 10-game conference-only schedule this coming season, Alabama will be featured in more of a prominent national role.
Alabama football schedule
Ranked No. 3 heading into the season (second among teams set to play this fall), Alabama seems to have a rather easy go of it early on. Though, the team does face some stiff competition. Here are Alabama’s biggest games for the 2020 season.
- VS- #13 Texas A&M (Oct. 3)
- VS- #4 Georgia (Oct. 17)
- AT- #25 Tennessee (Oct. 24)
- AT- #6 LSU (Nov. 14)
- VS- #11 Auburn (No. 28)
Of course, this is all dependent on the 2020 college football season starting as planned. In particular, the University of Alabama has seen a recent outbreak of COVID-19.
At the very least, we’re starting to get a real inside look at how the season will play out should it take place. That should have football fans around the nation excited.