Fans react to Auburn football’s latest kickoff time since 1976

Auburn footballAuburn Tigers running back Brian Battie (21) runs the ball during the A-Day spring football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 8, 2023.
Auburn footballAuburn Tigers running back Brian Battie (21) runs the ball during the A-Day spring football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 8, 2023.

Football season is less than 100 days away, and the Auburn football program has announced the kickoff time for the first three games on the schedule. The Tigers will host UMass on September 2 in Jordan-Hare Stadium to begin the season at 2:30 p.m., and will return back home on September 16 for a matchup with Samford at 6:00 p.m.

However, between the two early home games, head coach Hugh Freeze and the Tigers will make a cross-country trip to play on the West Coast, hosted by Cal. The pacific time game will kickoff at 7:30 p.m., meaning fans who are not traveling to the game will watch the opening kick at 9:30 p.m. central time or even 10:30 p.m. eastern time.

According to Justin Ferguson via Twitter, the September 9 contest will be the latest kick since the Tigers traveled to play Arizona in 1976:

Obviously, a 9:30 p.m. start time to a football game is not ideal. With the game lasting as long as it does, there’s no doubt that Auburn football fans will be up way past midnight watching the Tigers play.

It will be an exciting game, and a rare sighting of the Tigers on the West Coast, so prepare accordingly with nap time and plenty of caffeine.