ESPN and the Southeastern Conference released the game times and network designation of 30 SEC football games during The Paul Finebaum Show on SEC Network. The schedule includes ESPN’s selections for the first three weeks of the season, in addition to a week 13 matchup of LSU at Texas A&M, slated for Thanksgiving, November 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. All 30 games will air on either ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or SEC Network. Additional selections will be made as the season progresses.
The schedule opens up with Appalachian State at Tennessee (SEC Network, 7:30) and South Carolina at Vanderbilt (ESPN, 8 p.m.), both previously announced. ABC, ESPN, ESPNU and SEC Network will carry 11 SEC games kickoff weekend including four neutral site games: LSU vs. Wisconsin in Green Bay, Wis. (ABC, 3:30 p.m.), the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta featuring North Carolina vs. Georgia (ESPN, 5:30 p.m.) and USC vs. Alabama in Arlington, Texas (ABC, 8 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 3. The 2016 Camping World Kickoff game of Ole Miss vs. Florida State (ESPN, 8 p.m.) in Orlando, Fla., closes out the weekend’s games on Labor Day, Monday, Sept 5.
An additional neutral site game highlights the schedule in week 2 with the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol: Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech airing on ABC at 8 p.m.
In weeks 2 and 3 SEC Network will air an expanded schedule, utilizing the SEC Network Alternate Channel to carry three additional games on Saturday, Sept. 10 and two additional games on Saturday, Sept. 17. In total, SEC Network will air over 45 football games again this season with a noon, 4 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. kick most Saturdays following week 3. The companion channel, SEC Network Alternate, will be used only on occasions when live games overlap. All SEC Network and SEC Network Alternate games are available on the ESPN app and WatchESPN
ESPN’s 2016 SEC Football Schedule to date (subject to change):
Date Time (ET) Matchup Network
Thu, Sept. 1 7:30 p.m. Appalachian State at Tennessee SEC Network
8 p.m. South Carolina at Vanderbilt ESPN
Sat, Sept. 3 noon South Alabama at Mississippi State SEC Network
3:30 p.m. LSU vs. Wisconsin (Green Bay) ABC
4 p.m. Louisiana Tech at Arkansas SEC Network
5:30 p.m. Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game (Atlanta)
North Carolina vs. Georgia ESPN
7:30 p.m. Southern Mississippi at Kentucky ESPNU
7:30 p.m. UMass at Florida SEC Network
8 p.m. USC vs. Alabama (Arlington) ABC
9 p.m. Clemson at Auburn ESPN
Mon, Sept. 5 8 p.m. 2016 Camping World Kickoff (Orlando)
Ole Miss vs. Florida State ESPN
Sat, Sept. 10 noon Nicholls State at Georgia SEC Network
noon Prairie View A&M at Texas A&M SEC Network Alternate
3:30 p.m. Western Kentucky at Alabama ESPN2
4 p.m. Wofford at Ole Miss SEC Network
4 p.m. Middle Tennessee at Vanderbilt SEC Network Alternate
7 p.m. South Carolina at Mississippi State ESPN or ESPN2
7:30 p.m. Jacksonville State at LSU ESPNU
7:30 p.m. Arkansas State at Auburn SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Eastern Michigan at Missouri SEC Network Alternate
8 p.m. Pilot Flying J Battle At Bristol (Bristol) Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech ABC
Sat, Sept. 17 noon Ohio at Tennessee SEC Network
4 p.m. East Carolina at South Carolina SEC Network
4 p.m. New Mexico State at Kentucky SEC Network Alternate
7 p.m. Mississippi State at LSU ESPN or ESPN2
7 p.m. Texas A&M at Auburn ESPN or ESPN2
7:30 p.m. North Texas at Florida ESPNU
7:30 p.m. Georgia at Missouri SEC Network
7:30 p.m. Texas State at Arkansas SEC Network Alternate
Thu, Nov. 24 7:30 p.m. LSU at Texas A&M ESPN