‘Bama begged out of WVU home-and-home: So much for that strength of schedule thing

ACC Football is supposed to be shaking in its boots because the big, bad SEC is going to a nine-game conference schedule next year, to boost its strength of schedule.

The news on Tuesday is that Alabama begged out of a scheduled home-and-home series with West Virginia that was supposed to start in Morgantown next year, even after it had left a game date open on its 2026 schedule in anticipation of the SEC going to a nine-game conference schedule.

‘Bama is replacing the WVU game on its 2026 schedule with a home date with East Carolina.

The program is also adding a home game with South Florida.

The 2026 schedule already had the back end of a home-and-home with FSU, which will be playing in Tuscaloosa next season.

So, no road nonconference games, and they’re replacing a trip to Almost Heaven with a couple of home games with two cream puffs from the American.

Strength of schedule.

Sure.

“We are proud of the number of high-quality home-and-home nonconference games we have scheduled for the next 10 years,” Alabama AD Greg Byrne said in a statement Tuesday. “That being said, we know that college athletics has been evolving and changing rapidly over the last few years, and it made sense for us to make these adjustments on our football schedules.”

Mmm, hmmm.