SEC TV times, channels: Lane Kiffin infers bias in night game selection

ATHENS — The Georgia-Florida game highlights this Saturday’s slate of SEC action at 3:30 p.m., but LSU coach Lane Kiffin is more concerned with next week’s game times.

Specifically, Kiffin is upset the Bulldogs game at Ole Miss was selected to be played under the lights in Oxford at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 rather than the Tigers home game with Alabama.

“I didn’t even think to think about the time,” Kiffin said on the SEC coaches teleconference when asked about the LSU-Alabama game being slotted for a 3:30 p.m. kick. “I just assumed, especially since the last 16 years, this game has been at night here all the time. I guess that’s probably naive of me.”

The three highest-rated college football TV audiences this season kicked off in ABC’s 7:30 p.m. slot:

• Ohio State at Texas, 13.99 million

• Georgia at Alabama, 12.24 million

• LSU at Ole Miss, 10.90 million

Many programs, particularly LSU, feel there’s more of a home field advantage when a team hosts a game at night, as crowd noise tends to be louder.

The SEC has a federal lawsuit pending against Kiffin and LSU related to the school’s attempt to sign players who did not complete their full collegiate eligibility and had started pro careers before the NCAA approved the new “5-in-5” rule in June.

“I was joking to [LSU SID Michael Bonnette] earlier, saying obviously the SEC wanted to change it from how it’s been to give LSU less of an advantage because of how well LSU plays at night and how intimidating it is to play here,” Kiffin said.

“I was like, ‘If someone thinks the SEC wants us to win this year after what’s been going on, they must’ve just been on Mars the last four months.’”

LSU is one of many SEC teams in contention to play in what will likely be the final SEC Championship Game, along with its status as a contender to make the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Interestingly enough, Mississippi State at Texas is this week’s SEC game at 7:30 p.m. game, but it will be on ESPN.

The ABC slot will be filled by No. 1 Miami playing at North Carolina.

Georgia-Florida, the most compelling SEC game this week, has maintained its traditional 3:30 p.m. kickoff time with ABC after being broadcast in that time slot for years on CBS.

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Here’s a look at this week’s SEC game times and TV channels with picks:

Auburn at Ole Miss (-12.5), 12:45 p.m., SEC Network

Pick: Ole Miss 30, Auburn 21

Florida vs. Georgia (-12.5), 3:30 p.m., ABC

Pick: Georgia 38, Florida 24

South Carolina at Oklahoma (-4.5), 4:15 p.m., SEC Network

Pick: Oklahoma 23, South Carolina 17

Mississippi State at Texas (-20.5), 7:30 p.m., ESPN

Pick: Texas 34, Mississippi State 10

Missouri (-9.5) at Arkansas, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network