Alabama-Michigan State nix 2016-17

Published Sep. 26, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Michigan State has granted Alabama's request to drop two future meetings from the schedule.

The Crimson Tide asked to cancel the football games scheduled for 2016 and 2017.

Alabama athletic director Bill Battle said Thursday the school made the request because of "the uncertainty of the conference football schedule in those years."

The Southeastern Conference hasn't ruled out a move to a nine-game league schedule since the expansion to 14 teams.

The games would have pitted Alabama coach Nick Saban against his former school. He was Michigan State's head coach from 1995-99.