ESPN Gets Publicly Called Out For College Football Kickoff Times, 'Extremely Concerned'
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ESPN is setting up kickoff times for the 2026 college football season. But not everyone is happy about it.
Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek publicly called out ESPN and the SEC on social media on Wednesday. Arkansas has a 9:15 p.m. C.T. kickoff time at Utah on Sept. 12. The Razorbacks will get back into campus around 6 a.m. C.T. Arkansas's next game comes at 11 a.m. C.T. on Sept. 19.
This is unacceptable for Arkansas.
"I am extremely concerned and displeased about the recently released kickoff times for our football program in consecutive weeks this September and the impact it will have on the well-being of our student-athletes," Yurachek said.
"This assigned schedule will cost our student-athletes nearly a full day of rest and recovery that they would otherwise have available to them. This is not simply a competitive disadvantage — it is a genuine welfare issue for the young men who represent our program and contribute greatly to the bottom line of our television partners.
"This type of scheduling is unacceptable and demonstrates a clear neglect for the well-being of college athletes. I am confident that there are not many other programs in the SEC that would be placed in a similar position, and I will not quietly accept it for our program."
Arkansas has made a formal request with ESPN and the SEC.
"I have formally requested that the SEC office and ESPN aggressively pursue an alternative solution for one or both kickoff times during these consecutive weeks. The focus must be on the well-being of the game’s participants — not the bottom line of our media partner," Yurachek said.
— Hunter Yurachek (@HunterYurachek) May 27, 2026
Money remains king in the college football world
The conferences and networks can say whatever they want – 'student-athletes come first' – but the reality is that money is king.
The conferences and the networks will prioritize kickoff times that make sense for them. They want the most eyeballs at all times, which generates the most advertising dollars, which helps the conferences land these huge, billion-dollar TV deals.
Arkansas is not the first college football program to call out ESPN or another network for kickoff times. They won't be the last, either.
However, little to nothing will likely change.
This story was originally published by The Spun on May 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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