Florida’s SEC Tournament quarterfinal against Alabama has been moved to 4:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 21, with the game now expected to start about 30 minutes after the first quarterfinal in Hoover, Alabama.
The opening matchup of the day between Mississippi State and Georgia was pushed up to 1 p.m. ET from its original 4 p.m. slot, and both games will be shown on SEC Network as the bracket moves through the quarterfinal round under the threat of inclement weather.
Florida, the No. 5 seed, reached the quarterfinals at 38-18 after beating No. 12 Vanderbilt 8-3 in the second round. Alabama, the No. 4 seed at 37-18, entered the day with a double-bye and will now wait a little longer than planned before taking the field.
The schedule change affects two quarterfinal games and gives the tournament a more compressed feel on a day when the weather in Hoover is driving the conversation as much as the standings. For teams still alive, the timing shift matters because it can change when players warm up, when pitchers are available and how quickly a game can begin after the first one ends.
That leaves Alabama and Florida in the middle of a moving target, with the start time now tied to what happens before them and the weather overhead. If the first game runs long or conditions worsen, Thursday’s second quarterfinal could easily look different again.
