SEC Releases Full 2025 Kickoff Schedule Windows for Auburn Football, Giving Fans a First Look at Key Game Times

The Southeastern Conference officially announced Auburn football’s remaining 2025 kickoff windows on Wednesday, giving Tiger fans a much-anticipated peek at when their team will take the field this fall. While not every exact kickoff time was nailed down—those typically come closer to the date due to television flexibility—the release provided critical windows and broadcast partners that will shape how fans plan their Saturdays on the Plains and beyond.

The 2025 season marks Auburn’s second under head coach Hugh Freeze, who is looking to build on momentum following his debut campaign and a strong offseason on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. With a schedule that features marquee home and away matchups, the timing of games often plays a pivotal role in the atmosphere, television viewership, and even the outcomes themselves. Fans now have a clearer roadmap of what to expect this fall.

Some of the more high-profile contests that have already been confirmed earlier include Auburn’s neutral-site opener against Baylor in Atlanta on Sunday, August 31. That game will be broadcast nationally in prime time, kicking off at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC, placing Auburn on center stage for the opening weekend of college football. The showdown will serve as a tone-setter for both programs and will be one of the marquee matchups of Labor Day weekend.

The SEC’s release filled in the blanks for the remainder of Auburn’s slate, offering kickoff windows for all conference games and several key non-conference matchups. The Tigers will host Cal at Jordan-Hare Stadium on September 7, with a kickoff window scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT or 6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN or ESPN2. The final decision will be made closer to game week, but that afternoon or evening slot keeps the door open for national exposure, depending on how Auburn and Cal perform in their openers.

Auburn’s September 14 game against New Mexico State will be broadcast on SEC Network+ or ESPN+, with kickoff expected to be in the early afternoon. While not a marquee matchup, it will be a valuable tune-up game before the Tigers begin SEC play the following week.

Conference play opens in a big way for Auburn with a road game against Missouri on September 21. That contest will be played in either the 2:30 p.m. CT or 6:00 p.m. CT window, with CBS or ESPN holding the rights. The SEC’s top-tier TV slot is typically reserved for the game of the week, and while Auburn-Missouri may not carry the same hype as Georgia vs. Alabama or Florida vs. LSU, the game could be pivotal in SEC West standings depending on how each team starts the season.

One of the most anticipated games of the year comes when Auburn hosts LSU on October 5. That game has been selected for a 6:00 p.m. CT kickoff, likely on ESPN or the SEC Network. Auburn-LSU is always a dramatic affair, and the nighttime setting at Jordan-Hare Stadium historically provides one of the most electric environments in college football. Last season’s installment of the rivalry was a one-score thriller, and expectations are high for another tightly contested battle.

Auburn’s October 12 road trip to Lexington to face Kentucky will kick off in the afternoon window, most likely at 2:30 p.m. CT. The Wildcats have emerged as a tough out in recent seasons under Mark Stoops, and Auburn has had mixed success playing in Lexington. The early kickoff might mitigate some of the usual late-night crowd rowdiness, but the matchup still poses a critical midseason challenge.

Following a mid-October bye week, Auburn returns to action October 26 at home against Ole Miss. That contest will either be a 2:30 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. CT game, depending on other SEC matchups that weekend. If both programs are in the thick of the SEC West race, it’s likely ESPN will scoop up the rights for a prime-time broadcast.

November opens with the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, as Auburn travels to face Georgia in Athens on November 2. In a surprising move, that game was designated for the 2:30 p.m. CT CBS window, which has traditionally featured Georgia-Alabama or the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party between Georgia and Florida. Auburn-Georgia being elevated to the CBS slot indicates that the networks and the SEC expect that matchup to carry playoff implications, or at the very least, that Auburn is seen as competitive enough to warrant the premier national stage.

Auburn then hosts Arkansas on November 9, with a kickoff time window between 11:00 a.m. CT and 2:30 p.m. CT. The earlier slot may not be ideal for home-field atmosphere, but with Auburn having a strong home record under Hugh Freeze, they’ll look to keep momentum going regardless of the time of day. This game could also serve as a trap if Auburn is looking ahead to a brutal final stretch.

On November 16, Auburn travels to Nashville to face Vanderbilt in a game that will kick off at 11:00 a.m. CT and air on SEC Network or ESPN2. It’s one of the few true morning kickoffs for the Tigers in 2025, but fans accustomed to early road games in the SEC will not be surprised. The Tigers have struggled at times with early kickoffs in past seasons, especially on the road, so getting off to a quick start will be key.

Then comes perhaps the most daunting two-week run of the season. On November 23, Auburn will face Texas at home in Jordan-Hare Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT on ABC. It’s the first time Auburn will play Texas as a member of the SEC, and the atmosphere is expected to be one of the most intense of the season. Tickets for this game have already become hot commodities, and the matchup could have significant implications for both the SEC title race and the College Football Playoff picture.

Finally, the Iron Bowl against Alabama on November 30 will close out the regular season. Auburn will host the Crimson Tide in what is arguably the most iconic rivalry game in college football. The SEC confirmed that kickoff will be at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS, the network’s final Iron Bowl before ESPN fully takes over the SEC’s top-tier broadcasting rights in 2026. That adds extra weight to an already monumental clash, and Auburn fans are hoping that the game not only carries playoff implications but also a chance to reclaim bragging rights after recent losses in the series.

Taken in full, Auburn’s 2025 kickoff windows suggest a season filled with prime-time lights, national exposure, and a schedule that could make or break Hugh Freeze’s tenure. The Tigers will be featured heavily in both afternoon and evening slots, with only a few early morning games on the schedule. That balance gives Auburn the potential to showcase its talent to a national audience and create high-energy atmospheres for key home games.

TV partners such as ABC, CBS, ESPN, and SEC Network will rotate the Tigers’ games throughout the season, and many decisions—such as 2:30 p.m. vs. 6:00 p.m. windows—will still hinge on in-season developments. But the framework laid out by the SEC provides structure and excitement for a fanbase hungry to return to national prominence.

As always, the exact kickoff times for Auburn’s games will continue to be announced closer to each date, typically 12 to 14 days in advance, depending on TV selections. However, fans can now begin locking in travel plans, tailgating schedules, and viewing parties for what promises to be a thrilling season on the Plains.

With the Texas and Oklahoma additions creating a new era in SEC football and the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams in 2025, every game carries more weight than ever. Auburn’s kickoff schedule is now set, and all that remains is for the Tigers to deliver on the field.