The move by the Southeastern Conference to a nine-game league schedule in 2026 will not affect the home-and-home series Alabama and Arizona are scheduled to play in 2032 and 2033. In their announcement of the change from eight to nine games, the SEC stated conference schools must play a power opponent each season.
Unlike SEC rivals Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina, Alabama does not play a traditional non-conference opponent every season. Alabama has two power conference opponents scheduled each season through 2034. In addition to hosting Arizona in 2032 and playing in Tucson in 2033, Alabama will play at Minnesota in 2032 and host the Golden Gophers in 2033.
The Big XII began playing a nine-game conference schedule in 2020. Arizona began playing a nine-game conference schedule in the Pac-12 during the 2006 season. In the 19 years playing a nine-game conference schedule, Arizona has been above .500 five times…