Georgia and Clemson have an official start time for their Week 1 clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
As announced Tuesday, ABC’s season-opening matchup will kick off at noon ET on Saturday, Aug. 31. Several fans aren’t thrilled by the early assignment.
Whether it derails their pre-game plans or signals a lack of respect for a marquee matchup, fans wanted a different time slot.
“I hate everything,” a fan complained. “A NOONER?”
“What is the ABC/ESPN obsession with noon kicks? This should be a prime time game,” a fan claimed.
“10am beers to start the season,” a fan foreshadowed.
“ABC scheduled this one like Georgia is playing Ball State,” a fan wrote.
On the bright side, at least they’re playing in a stadium with a roof. Fans won’t have to worry about sweating outside on what could be a sweltering summer afternoon in Atlanta.
The Bulldogs and Tigers will start a busy Saturday of Week 1 action. Florida and Miami (FL) will clash at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC before Texas A&M and Notre Dame conclude the tripleheader in the 7:30 p.m. primetime slot.
Georgia fans may particularly dislike Alabama garnering a 7 p.m. kickoff time for an ESPN game against Western Kentucky. The network appears to have prioritized Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide debut ahead of their SEC foe’s meatier matchup against Clemson.
After all, the Bulldogs are a top draw. They followed back-to-back national champions by starting 12-0 before losing the SEC title bout to Alabama.
Kirby Smart’s team begins their quest back to an expanded College Football Playoff against Dabo Swinney’s Tigers, who fell short of double-digit victories for the first time since 2010 with a 9-4 season.