Ohio State vs. Alabama Series Might Still Happen Despite Cancellation Rumors

There has been speculation about the cancellation of the 2027-2028 home-and-home series between Ohio State and Alabama, but it may be premature to assume it's happening.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields (1) throws an incomplete pass on fourth down during the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. | Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The college football landscape is evolving rapidly, and it was once considered exciting for top schools to face off against each other outside of their conferences early in the season. However, that trend may be shifting soon.

Ohio State will face Texas in Austin this upcoming season after the two teams met in Columbus last year. Looking ahead to 2027 and 2028, the Buckeyes have scheduled a home-and-home series with Alabama. However, this arrangement may be canceled before then.

ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum, who hosts "The Paul Finebaum Show" on the SEC Network, appeared on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus on Feb. 6. During the interview, he expressed doubts about the series between the Buckeyes and the Crimson Tide taking place.

“I sincerely doubt the Alabama game is going to happen based on what I’ve heard from Alabama’s AD,” Finebaum said, via Buckeyes Wire Griffin Dreifaldt. “He’s got a shaky situation there anyway with a coach who is in trouble."

Ohio State vs. Alabama could still happen

Despite Finebaum's skepticism about the series taking place, former Ohio State linebacker Bobby Carpenter believes there’s still a possibility that the game will happen.

"I did a radio hit yesterday with a friend of mine who lives down in Tuscaloosa; he does radio down there for Alabama, super tied to the program," Carpenter said on Thursday, on the "Bobby Carpenter Show", via the BIGPLAY Sports Network. "He told me 'he hadn't heard yet that there was going to be any cancellation' of this for the Bama vs Ohio State series, which starts, I believe, in 2027 and 2028 with home and home."

Looks like the Ohio State-Alabama series is trending towards happening

"He told me that he hadn't heard yet that there was going to be any cancellation of this."

-@Bcarp3

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— Bobby Carpenter Show (@BobbyCarpShow) February 12, 2026

Many teams are trying to avoid scheduling big-time non-conference opponents after what happened to Texas last season. The Longhorns suffered three losses, one against Ohio State, one against Florida, and another against Georgia.

These three defeats caused Texas to miss the playoffs, leaving many to wonder whether, if it had played a different school and secured a win, like Northwestern, it would have made the playoffs.

Alabama will face a challenge if it decides to cancel the game against Ohio State.

"The one thing Ohio State has got going for them with this, unless they want to cancel on its end, is under the new SEC rules, they have to play one power four out-of-conference opponent or Notre Dame," Carpenter added. "So you're looking out a couple of years to replace Ohio State with, like, a Purdue, maybe someone who's a Power Four but a little easier. I don't know if that can be done."

It would be unfortunate if the Ohio State vs. Alabama series were canceled, as it would be detrimental to college football and its passionate fans.