Ohio State And Alabama has officially announced a home football series during the summer of 2020, with games scheduled for September 18, 2027 in Columbus and September 9, 2028 in Tuscaloosa. The series was set to mark the first regular season meetings between the Buckeyes and the crimson tide.
Now, in just over 580 days, Alabama looks likely to cancel the highly anticipated match. ESPN commentator Paul Finebaum recently joined Columbus Sports Radio Station 97.1 The Fan to weigh in on the situation and share their thoughts.
“I sincerely doubt the Alabama game will happen, based on what I’ve heard from the Alabama AD,” Finebaum said. “He has a precarious situation there anyway with a coach in trouble.”
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As we saw when Texas lost to Ohio State in the first week of the 2025 season, this early loss likely cost the Longhorns a trip to the College Football Playoff. Programs across the country, particularly within the SEC, are increasingly cautious about scheduling the marquee non-conference games they agreed to years ago. Why take the risk?
With the SEC poised to move to a nine-game conference schedule starting in 2026, Finebaum believes Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne will prioritize risk management over opening the season against elite competition. In the current CFP format, losing more than two games can be a death sentence. From this perspective, why intentionally add another potential loss to the schedule? This seems to be the current mood in Tuscaloosa.
Finebaum criticized Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer and suggested that Byrne is likely to cancel the home-and-home matchup with Ohio State to protect DeBoer from a high-stakes non-conference matchup in 2027 and 2028.
If Alabama officially calls it quits, it would be a disappointment for fans of both programs and for college football as a whole. Watching these two powerhouses face off for the first time in the regular season would be must-see TV. If this series ends up being canceled, it would show how college football continues to evolve year after year. Programs are considering more variables than ever before, from expanded conference schedules to playoff positioning and long-term roster management. Housing and housing agreements made five or six years ago are now being reconsidered because a single loss can significantly alter, or even derail, an entire season.
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This article was originally published on Buckeyes Wire: Paul Finebaum thinks Alabama will end Ohio State series
