The SEC opener for the Alabama Crimson Tide finds coach Kalen DeBoer's team in the Bluegrass State for a matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats during Week 2 of the 2026 college football season.
Alabama (1-0) is ranked No. 12 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 poll; Kentucky (1-0) is unranked. The Crimson Tide are coming off a 48-10 victory over East Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium that featured a solid debut from first-year starting quarterback Keelon Russell.
The former five-star recruit in the class of 2025 threw for 256 yards and rushed for another 86 as the Tide totaled 487 yards of total offense and the defense held East Carolina to only five first downs.
Kentucky is beginning a new era with first-year head coach Will Stein, the former
Oregon Ducks offensive coordinator under Dan Lanning. After moving on from longtime coach Mark Stoops following consecutive losing seasons, the Wildcats defeated Youngstown State, 45-13, in Week 1.
Notre Dame transfer quarterback Kenny Minchey threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns in the Wildcats' win, completing 18 of his 27 passes. Kentucky amassed 506 yards of total offense, including 205 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Texas Longhorns transfer CJ Baxter.
ESPN reveals TV broadcasters for Alabama football vs. Kentucky
Ahead of Alabama-Kentucky, ESPN has announced who will have the call of Saturday's game in Lexington. Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy will call the action from the broadcast booth at Kroger Field. Katie George will report from the sidelines.
McDonough and McElroy were on the call for four Alabama games a season ago, including the Crimson Tide's wins over Vanderbilt, Tennessee and LSU, and their Week 12 loss to Oklahoma.
McDonough is one of the most recognizable voices in the sport. He joined ESPN in 1989 and returned in 2000 after spending four years as the voice of the SEC's weekly 2:30 p.m. game on CBS. McDonough also works as a radio play-by-play voice of the Boston Red Sox.
McElroy was Alabama's starting quarterback in 2009 and 2010, helping guide the Tide to a perfect 14-0 season and the national championship in the Rose Bowl against Texas. He joined ESPN as an analyst and commentator in 2014.
The duo of McDonough and McElroy is ESPN and ABC's No. 2 broadcast crew behind Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit.
What channel will Alabama football game vs. Kentucky be on?
Alabama-Kentucky will broadcast nationally on ABC in Week 2 of the 2026 college football season. The game will stream on ESPN+ and Disney+.
Alabama vs. Kentucky football kickoff time
Kickoff for Alabama-Kentucky is 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday.
Alabama football history vs. Kentucky
Alabama and Kentucky are meeting for the 43rd time in school history. The Crimson Tide lead the all-time series, 39-2-1. Alabama defeated the Wildcats, 49-21, in the last matchup between the teams on Nov. 11, 2023 in Lexington. The Crimson Tide have won eight straight in the head-to-head series.
Here are game-by-game results for Alabama vs. Kentucky football since 2000.
- Nov. 11, 2023: Alabama 49, Kentucky 21 (Lexington)
- Nov. 21, 2020: Alabama 63, Kentucky 3 (Tuscaloosa)
- Oct. 1, 2016: Alabama 34, Kentucky 6 (Tuscaloosa)
- Oct. 12, 2013: Alabama 48, Kentucky 7 (Lexington)
- Oct. 3, 2009: Alabama 38, Kentucky 20 (Lexingtn)
- Oct. 4, 2008: Alabama 17, Kentucky 14 (Tuscaloosa)
- Oct. 9, 2004: Alabama 45, Kentucky 17 (Lexington)
- Sept. 13, 2003: Alabama 27, Kentucky 17 (Tuscaloosa)
USA TODAY Sports ranks Alabama football as top 10 team after Week 1
— Roll Tide Wire (@RollTideWire) September 8, 2026
📸 Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News, USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co https://t.co/CnDn1JOY5d pic.twitter.com/BR654hUgmM
Alabama football schedule 2026
- Sept. 5: vs. East Carolina Pirates (W, 48-10)
- Sept. 12: at Kentucky Wildcats, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 19: vs. Florida State Seminoles, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 26: vs. South Carolina Gamecocks, prime time
- Oct. 3: at Mississippi State Bulldogs, early window
- Oct. 10: vs. Georgia Bulldogs, prime time
- Oct. 17: at Tennessee Volunteers, TBA
- Oct. 24: vs. Texas A&M Aggies, TBA
- Nov. 7: at LSU Tigers, TBA
- Nov. 14: at Vanderbilt Commodores, TBA
- Nov. 21: vs. Chattanooga Mocs, 1 p.m., SEC Network+
- Nov. 28: vs. Auburn Tigers, TBA
Record: 1-0.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Time, channel, TV announcers for Alabama football vs Kentucky
