This from the ESPN-run SEC Network. All 14 teams in the conference will appear on the SEC Network in the first four weeks of the football season. It all begins on Thursday, August 28 with a doubleheader and starting the SEC Network football schedule will be Texas A&M at South Carolina at 6 p.m. ET. That will be followed by Temple at Vanderbilt at 9:15 p.m.
Two days later, Saturday, August 30, it’s a tripleheader highlighted Arkansas at Auburn at 4 p.m. ET.
On Saturday, September 6, SEC Network will have six SEC teams involved in six games in a tripleheader at 12, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Overflow channels will be needed.
And on Saturday, September 13, SEC Network will air Florida at Kentucky in primetime.
This schedule will put pressure on the cable and satellite providers that don’t have agreements with ESPN for the SEC Network to get cracking. We’ll see if gets talks going.
Here’s the ESPN announcement.
All 14 SEC Football Teams to Play on the SEC Network in First Four Weeks of the Season
The SEC Network, the new national sports network launching August 14 and operated by ESPN, will air a game featuring every football team in the Southeastern Conference within the first four weeks of the 2014 college football season. The first 16 games, released today by the SEC and ESPN, include a home game from all 14 SEC football stadiums. In addition, eight SEC schools will open their 2014 seasons on the network, including the defending SEC Champion, Auburn, and Arkansas in a conference matchup at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 30.
“The fact that the SEC Network will originate a game from every stadium in the conference in the first four weeks of the 2014 season is testament to the depth of coverage fans can expect from the network,” said Mike Slive, SEC commissioner. “In just the first month of the season, fans that get the network will enjoy all the passion and pageantry of SEC football from 14 of the greatest venues in the world of sports. This is what the SEC Network is all about.”
Each of the first two weeks features six games. Opening week includes a previously announced Thursday night doubleheader, three games on Saturday and a unique opportunity over Labor Day weekend for a Sunday evening game at Tennessee.
“The network will have a terrific line-up of games over the first four weeks. The schedule includes quality and depth from across the conference,” said Justin Connolly, ESPN senior vice president, college networks. “The full breadth of teams and stadiums showcased in the first month alone speaks volumes on the type of programming sports fans should expect on the SEC Network.”
On Saturday, Sept. 6, the SEC Network will showcase six different matchups. Each of the games will be available to all fans who receive SEC Network. The games will be televised on either the SEC Network or an overflow channel made available on that Saturday.
Week three is punctuated by an early-season conference match-up between Kentucky and Florida. In week four, the SEC Network will have two yet to be determined matchups to complete the Saturday tripleheader. Television selections for the remaining games in the opening weeks of the season will be announced at a later date.
2014 SEC College Football Schedule (subject to change):
Date Time (ET) Game Thu, Aug. 28 6 p.m. Texas A&M at South Carolina 9:15 p.m. Temple at Vanderbilt Sat, Aug. 30 Noon Tennessee-Martin at Kentucky 4 p.m. Arkansas at Auburn 7:30 p.m. Southern Mississippi at Mississippi State Sun, Aug. 31 7 p.m. Utah State at Tennessee Sat, Sept. 6 Noon Florida Atlantic at Alabama Noon Arkansas State at Tennessee 4 p.m. Eastern Michigan at Florida 4 p.m. Nicholls State at Arkansas 7:30 p.m. Sam Houston State at LSU 7:30 p.m. Lamar at Texas A&M Sat, Sept. 13 Noon UCF at Missouri 4 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette at Ole Miss 7:30 p.m. Kentucky at Florida Sat, Sept. 20 Noon Troy at Georgia 4 p.m. TBD 7:30 p.m. TBD
that is it.
