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Alabama Makes Future Football Schedule Announcement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jake Elman | Last updated Dec 2, 2025 6:22 PM ET

The Alabama Crimson Tide announced several changes to its future football schedule on Tuesday afternoon, including an official reworking of the 2026 nonconference slate.

Alabama and South Florida mutually agreed to move next year's game to the 2032 season. The Crimson Tide were scheduled to host the Bulls on Sept. 12, though Alabama will play Chattanooga, an FCS program, instead.

Additionally, Alabama announced a 2027 game against the Marshall Thundering Herd. The two schools have never played one another, though four of the first Black players in Marshall football history — Joe Hood, Larry Sanders, Robert VanHorn and Freddy Wilson — all came from Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The Benjamin Barnes YMCA in West Tuscaloosa recently unveiled statues for the "Marshall Four," who passed away in the 1970 Marshall plane crash.

“Both Alabama and Marshall have proud traditions and rich histories, and it’s always special for our student-athletes and fans to experience a venue that represents the best of college football,” Marshall athletic director Gerald J. Harrison said. “Our program embraces these kinds of challenges, and I know Herd Nation will be there in full force to support our team.”

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer and his team during the 2025 seasonDavid Leong-Imagn Images

Alabama also confirmed it will open the 2026 season against East Carolina. The Crimson Tide’s third and final nonconference game is against Florida State on Sept. 19. The Seminoles defeated Alabama 31-17 in Tallahassee in August.

What to Know About the Alabama Crimson Tide’s 2026 Football Schedule

As of Dec. 2, 2025, the Crimson Tide had not yet announced its 2026 football schedule. However, the SEC revealed the Crimson Tide’s annual opponents for the 2026–29 seasons this past September.

Alabama will play Auburn, Mississippi State and Tennessee over all four years. The Crimson Tide will host Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina and Texas A&M next season. Alabama’s SEC road games are at Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Next season begins the SEC’s 9+3 schedule, a format in which every team plays nine conference games and only three nonconference games. Most Power 4 schools typically play 8+4, with most nonconference games coming against Group of 5 mid-major programs or FCS teams. Alabama’s four nonconference games this season came against Florida State, Louisiana-Monroe, Wisconsin and Eastern Illinois.

Auburn Tigers safety Sylvester Smith (19) is called for pass interference on Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks (17) during the 2025 Iron BowlJake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The SEC previously said the league’s annual opponents will be evaluated after each four-year cycle. That likely would not impact the Iron Bowl, as Alabama and Auburn have played each other every year since 1948.

For now, the Crimson Tide are 10-2 and ranked 10th in the Nov. 30 AP Top 25 following last weekend’s 27-20 victory over Auburn. Alabama’s next game is against Georgia in the SEC championship, and the FanDuel Sportsbook lists Alabama as 2.5-point underdogs (-104; bet $100 for a $196.15 payout) as of Tuesday morning.

FanDuel also gives Alabama +1400 odds (bet $100 for a $1,500 payout) to win its first national championship since 2020.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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