ESPN/ABC kickoff times prove that many eyes are still watching FSU football

If Florida State wants to prove their football brand is still strong for television, it will get its opportunity early and late.

The Seminoles will have the spotlight to themselves on Labor Day, with SMU coming to Doak Campbell Stadium for a primetime showdown on ESPN. It's the first time the Mustangs have ever been to Tallahassee and only the second meeting ever between the two programs. SMU won the first game, 42-16, in Dallas in 2004. 

FSU has proven to be a big draw on Labor Day and this is the fourth time the Seminoles have played on a Sunday or Monday during that first weekend in September since Mike Norvell took over. It's been a mixed bag on that weekend with wins over LSU in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023. Those games were neutral-site contests in New Orleans and Orlando respectively. There have been two similar primetime games in Tallahassee with less success, an overtime loss to Notre Dame in 2021 and a loss to Boston College in 2024, which was a harbinger of the disastrous season that followed. 

FSU and SMU will be on ESPN Primetime for Labor Day

The Labor Day game was announced earlier, so the primetime designation isn't much of a shock. It was just a question of whether the game would be on ESPN or ABC. It's a huge game for Norvell because the Seminoles have to get off to a strong start to get his name off the hot seat. FSU will already have a game under its belt and should be expected to beat New Mexico State in a Week Zero game where the time has yet to be announced. A good bet is that the game will be at 3:30 p.m. or early evening. It could be a stretch of evening games for the Seminoles, because the September 19 game against Alabama is in the running for a primetime slot. 

The other announced kickoff was for the annual Sunshine Showdown between Florida. The game was moved to Black Friday for the second time over the past five years and will be broadcast from Doak Campbell Stadium at 3:30 p.m. on ABC. The move from Saturday to Friday gives the game a chance to be back on the big network after being shuttered to ESPN2 last season.

FSU should have its fill of night games in 2026

Because the ACC is trying to establish Friday nights as their night for football games, it means FSU is going to be playing under the lights quite a bit this season. The Seminoles have Friday night games scheduled at Louisville on October 9 and at Pittsburgh on November 13. There's also games at Miami (October 17) and home against Clemson (October 31) that could be primetime watching. 

The kickoff time announcements are another sign that football season is closer than we know. FSU is expected to be around the middle of the pack in the ACC, but with a few early wins, that prediction could change quickly. 

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