Alabama, West Virginia agree to cancel 2026-27 series and schedule Group of Five opponents

By AP | Aug 30, 2025

FILE - Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams (2) runs the ball for a touchdown against Mercer during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)

Alabama and West Virginia mutually agreed to cancel their home-and-home series that had been scheduled for 2026 and 2027, the schools announced Tuesday.

Alabama said it was making adjustments to its nonconference schedule in response to last week’s announcement that the Southeastern Conference would go from playing eight to nine league games starting in 2026.

West Virginia said it wanted to align with the scheduling philosophy followed by many teams contending for a College Football Playoff berth. That means playing a fellow power-conference opponent, one from the Group of Five and one from the second-tier Football Championship Subdivision.

Alabama will now play East Carolina on Sept. 5, 2026, as well as South Florida on Sept. 12 and Florida State on Sept. 19. West Virginia now plays Coastal Carolina on Sept. 5, UT-Martin on Sept. 12 and Virginia on Sept. 19.

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