Alabama will get the 2:30 p.m. CBS treatment once more.
After playing in that time slot against South Carolina in its SEC opener, the No. 2 Crimson Tide will host Ole Miss at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 28, the SEC just announced. It will be UA’s final game before its first open week.
The choice by CBS was not unexpected based on the maximum number of games (five) the network is allowed for each league member as a “Game of The Week” selection. Alabama has been selected once (South Carolina) and has three likely selections (Texas A&M, LSU and Auburn) on its upcoming schedule. Auburn also plays Mississippi State on Sept. 28, but the Tigers’ game against Texas A&M has been selected for Sept. 21 and AU still has remaining games with LSU, Georgia, Florida and Alabama. That left the Arkansas-Texas A&M and Kentucky-South Carolina games as the other options against No. 2-ranked Alabama.
The Crimson Tide has not played a home night game in September, the hottest month of the season, since 2017, and has had only three (including two against Ole Miss) since 2014.
The announcement comes one week after the home game against Southern Miss was given an 11 a.m. kickoff time, which started a controversy on campus. UA President Stuart R. Bell and Director of Athletics Greg Byrne released a joint statement expressing their disappointment with the fact that Alabama was not selected for a night game
The previous week, UA installed free water coolers, sunscreen dispensers and other measures to help fans combat the heat during the New Mexico State game, a 3 p.m. kickoff. The same measures, if not more, are expected for the Southern Miss game.
