Longtime college football voice Paul Finebaum made a prediction on Alabama football‘s scheduled home-and-home series against the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2026-27.
Finebaum doesn’t believe it will happen.
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The ESPN personality and SEC Network host made that prediction in an appearance on WBNS-FM 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday.
Finebaum said:
“I sincerely doubt the Alabama game is going to happen based on what I’ve heard from Alabama’s AD. He’s got a shaky situation there anyway with a coach who is in trouble. Georgia might do it because they’re a little more in-tune and aligned, but I really don’t think we’re going to go too far and see those games. And I know what (Ohio State AD) Ross Bjork has said, and I know what (Texas AD Chris) Del Conte has said and other ADs have said, but the reality is that the ninth SEC game is going to be very costly for a lot of programs.”
The SEC’s move to nine conference games beginning in 2026 puts it on pace with the Big Ten and Big 12. The ACC is also adding a ninth conference game for 12 of its teams this season, with all 17 teams moving to nine games in 2027.
When the Alabama-Ohio State series was first announced in June 2020, the Crimson Tide were scheduled to visit Columbus in September 2027 with the Buckeyes to visit Tuscaloosa in September 2028.
A lot has happened since then, and no one should be surprised by FInebaum’s comments. In December, former Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram questioned why Alabama should keep its series with Ohio State.
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Ingram’s comments came after Texas missed the 12-team College Football Playoff in part because it scheduled the Buckeyes instead of a weaker opponent from the Group of Six or FCS ranks.
Alabama previously canceled two opponents that had been on its 2026 schedule. The Crimson Tide had been scheduled to face West Virginia in Morgantown in 2026 with the Mountaineers making the trip to Tuscaloosa in 2027. Alabama and West Virginia mutually agreed to cancel the series in August, shortly after the SEC announced its move to nine conference games.
In December, Alabama and South Florida mutually agreed to move a scheduled 2026 game back to 2032.
Alabama will face East Carolina in its season opener on Sept. 5 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide’s marquee nonconference game will be on Sept. 19 when Florida State visits Tuscaloosa on the back end of that home-and-home series.
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Alabama football schedule 2026
Here’s a game by game look at the 2026 schedule for coach Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide.
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Sept. 5: vs. East Carolina
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Sept. 19: vs. Florida State
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Sept. 26: vs. South Carolina
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Oct. 3: at Mississippi State
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football series vs Ohio State not likely, Finebaum says
