SEC schedule
ALABAMASept. 2 vs. Florida State (Atlanta)Sept. 9 FRESNO STATESept. 16 COLORADO STATESept. 23 at VanderbiltSept. 30 OLE MISSOct. 7 at Texas A&MOct. 14 ARKANSASOct. 21 TENNESSEEOct. 28 Open dateNov. 4 LSUNov. 11 at Mississippi StateNov. 18 MERCERNov. 25 at AuburnGEORGIASept. 2 APPALACHIAN STATESept. 9 at Notre DameSept. 16 SAMFORDSept. 23 MISSISSIPPI STATESept. 30 at TennesseeOct. 7 at VanderbiltOct. 14 MISSOURIOct. 21 Open dateOct. 28 Florida (Jacksonville)Nov. 4 SOUTH CAROLINANov. 11 at AuburnNov. 18 KENTUCKYNov. 25 at Georgia TechTENNESSEESept. 4 vs. Georgia Tech (Atlanta)Sept. 9 INDIANA STATESept. 16 at FloridaSept. 23 UMASSSept. 30 GEORGIAOct. 7 Open dateOct. 14 SOUTH CAROLINAOct. 21 at AlabamaOct. 28 at KentuckyNov. 4 SOUTHERN MISSNov. 11 at MissouriNov. 18 LSUNov. 25 VANDERBILT
Two weeks into its 2016 football season, the Southeastern Conference on Tuesday night revealed its schedule for 2017.
Tennessee, which is having to play Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama on consecutive Saturdays this season, has a more accommodating schedule in that regard next year. The Volunteers open their 2017 season on Labor Day night against Georgia Tech in Atlanta’s new Mercedes-Benz Stadium before hosting Indiana State, traveling to Florida, hosting UMass and then hosting Georgia.
The Vols have an open date next season between games against Georgia and South Carolina, with the game against the Gamecocks preceding Tennessee’s annual showdown with Alabama. Tennessee will play Kentucky the week after facing the Crimson Tide, which was the case last season.
Tennessee’s closing November stretch will consist of hosting Southern Miss, traveling to Missouri, hosting LSU and then hosting Vanderbilt. The Vols will be hosting LSU for the first time since a 38-7 loss in 2011.
Next season will open with several other notable neutral-site showdowns involving SEC teams, such as Alabama-Florida State in Atlanta, LSU-Brigham Young in Houston, South Carolina-North Carolina State in Charlotte and Florida-Michigan in Arlington, Texas.
Thanksgiving week will be different next season, when Ole Miss and Mississippi State will move their Egg Bowl rivalry from Saturday back to Thursday night. The Rebels and Bulldogs last played on Thanksgiving in 2013.
Georgia’s 2017 schedule is highlighted by a Sept. 9 trip to Notre Dame, and the days of the Bulldogs playing South Carolina early in the season appear to be over. Georgia began league play against South Carolina every year from 1992 to 2011, but the two teams will collide in early November next season for the first time since 1980, when Herschel Walker led the Bulldogs to a 13-10 win over George Rogers and the Gamecocks.
There will be 13 weekends in the 2017 season, as is the case this season, so each team will have one open date. Alabama and LSU again will have an open week before facing one another, as will Florida and Georgia.
Vanderbilt may have the toughest four-game stretch next season, facing Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Ole Miss on consecutive weekends.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.