Alabama and Auburn fans who have struggled with travel plans in past years due to game times being released only a week or two before the game can now rejoice.
The SEC and new television partner ESPN, after releasing several game times during SEC Spring Meetings in Sandestin, have provided ‘windows’ for every game, giving fans an approximate game time even for those not yet released.
Essentially, the windows boil down to ‘early’, ‘flex’ and ‘night’. If a game is in the ‘flex’ window, the start time will be between the traditional 2:30 P.M. CST and 7:00 P.M. CST, meaning that the game will not be played in the early slot.
Alabama has two games scheduled for 11 a.m. CST against Wisconsin and South Carolina, while Auburn has two games in the ‘early’ window against Missouri and Vanderbilt, meaning they will be played between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.
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The Iron Bowl, as with most of Alabama’s matchups with unknown specific times, is in the ‘flex’ window. Alabama also faces Tennessee, Missouri, LSU, and Oklahoma in the ‘flex’ window.
It will be interesting to see which games ESPN places into the main primetime slots, as the traditional 2:30 p.m. start time that CBS had for its main game seems to be changing.
In more ways than one, things are changing in the SEC. But getting information on when games will be played brings us one step closer to football season.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
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