SEC Releases Alabama's 2016 Football Schedule

Start marking your calendars.

The SEC announced the full 2016 football schedules for all 14 of its member institutions Thursday, including Alabama's.

In addition to its usual slate of SEC opponents, the Crimson Tide will face Kentucky in its SEC home opener on Oct. 1. Alabama last played the Wildcats in 2013, a 48-7 victory in Lexington, Kentucky.

Of note, Alabama plays Tennessee in Knoxville on Oct. 15, the third Saturday in October. Known as the "Third Saturday in October," the annual rivalry game has actually been played on the fourth Saturday in October in recent years, including this season. The Crimson Tide has played Texas A&M on the third Saturday in October over the past two years but will now face the Aggies the following week.

Alabama will also again play eight consecutive games before its lone bye week on Oct. 29, one week ahead of its trip to Baton Rouge to play LSU on Nov. 5. The Tigers, along with Texas A&M, are the only teams with byes one week prior to facing the Crimson Tide.

Alabama will open the season at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the second straight season when it takes on USC on Sept. 3. The Crimson Tide opened the 2015 season against Wisconsin at the same venue, defeating the Badgers 35-17.

All kickoff times are TBA.

The 25th edition of the SEC Championship Game will take place on Dec. 3 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Complete schedule:

Sept. 3 USC (Arlington, Texas)

Sept. 10 Western Kentucky

Sept. 17 at Ole Miss

Sept. 24 Kent State

Oct. 1 Kentucky

Oct. 8 at Arkansas

Oct. 15 at Tennessee

Oct. 22 Texas A&M

Oct. 29 BYE