Alabama, Florida State May Open 2017 Season in Atlanta

By Kevin Kelley -

The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida State Seminoles may face off in Atlanta to open the 2017 season, the Palm Beach Post has reported.

The matchup would be the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game and it would be played in the new Atlanta Falcons Stadium that is currently under construction. It would likely be played on Saturday evening on an ESPN network.

Alabama and Florida State have met four times on the gridiron. The Crimson Tide lead the series 2-1-1, although Florida State was forced to vacate their 2007 win due to NCAA sanctions.

Alabama is no stranger to season opening kickoff games. The Crimson Tide have played in three straight, including this season, and have matchups set in 2015 vs. Wisconsin and 2016 vs. USC, both in Arlington, TX.

Currently, the only known non-conference game for Alabama for the 2017 season is a home game against the Colorado State Rams on Sept. 16.

Florida State currently has one non-conference game set in 2017 — their annual battle with in-state rival Florida on Nov. 25.

Earlier this month, Florida State announced they are opening the 2016 season at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando against the Ole Miss Rebels.

Alabama-Florida State is the second rumored pairing for the 2017 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, which has staged multiple games in the past. Back in August, multiple sources reported that Georgia Tech and Tennessee are close to signing a contract to play on Monday (Labor Day) that season.

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Comments (35)

This is a nice, little match-up (and a true “neutral site” game), right between the two fan bases. However, I still would love to see Alabama play a few home-and-homes with some teams, especially Power 5 teams. College football should be played on college campuses, and Bama’s refusal to play a true away game is disappointing.

This is hilarious. What team do you pull for? And link me the road games they play that make them superior to alabama…Go ahead. Then show me your team opening with power 5 teams like Clemson, Penn State (which was a home and home but i know you will ignore that because it doesnt fit your narrative) Michigan, Va Tech,West Virginia, and already scheduled we have USoCal (going to be played in arlington TX) and Wisconsin (also in arlington). Alabama could play 10000 road games in a row, in another country, and people like you would with out a doubt still make excuses why your team is somehow better. BTW Bama fans tend to call their “true away games” the national championship. We may not play one ever year, but when we do, we win.

To thisguyabovemewow said….:

I think Alabama is a great team. They’ve proven that. With that said, those games you poster…

THOSE ARE NOT ROAD GAMES. They are “neutral” site games right in Alabama’s backyard. A road game is when you travel in someone else’s house to play at their own stadium. Is it that hard to understand?

USC plays ND every year, switching locations. On top of that, they have home-and-homes since 2008 with: Boston College, Syracuse, Minnesota, Ohio State, Virginia. They also have future home-and-homes scheduled with: Texas, Tennessee and BYU, in addition to ND every year.

Oregon has had home-and-homes since 2008 with: Michigan State (which Alabama canceled), Virginia, Tennessee, Boise State, and Purdue. They also have future home-and-homes with: Nebraska and Ohio State. They had another h-h with TexasA&M, but A&M canceled because of being an SEC pu55y.

UCLA has had home-and-homes since 2008 with: Texas, Nebraska, Houston, Rice, Kansas State, Tennessee, and BYU. They also have future home-and-homes with: Texas A&M, BYU, Memphis, Virginia, Oklahoma, Rutgers, LSU, and Michigan.

Ohio State has had home-and-homes since 2008 with: Virginia Tech, Navy, Cincinati, Cal, Miami Fl, and USC. They also have future home-and-homes with: Oklahoma, TCU, Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, and Boston College.

Michigan has had home-and-homes since 2008 with: Notre Dame, Utah, and UCONN. They also have future home-and-homes with: Arkansas, Washington, Virginia Tech, UCLA, Texas, and Oklahoma.

Florida State has had home-and-homes since 2008 with: Florida annually, Notre Dame, USF, Oklahoma, and BYU. They also have future home-and-homes with: Florida annually, USF, Boise State and Notre Dame.

Texas has had home-and-homes since 2008 with: UCLA (2x), BYU, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and even Wyoming. They also have future home-and-homes with: Notre Dame, Cal, Maryland, USC, LSU, Ohio State and Michigan.

Is that good enough for you? By the way, I’m a Trojan fan. We wanted a home-and-home with Alabama, but you guys said you only play one-time neutral site games near the state of Alabama. We chose to play you in Texas, because we are USC, and we will play anyone, anywhere, anytime, even when we are on sanctions.

Your great “Roooooooll Tide” Alabama has had home-and-homes since 2008 with: Penn State and Duke. They also have future home-and-homes with: oh, that’s right, nobody!

Your argument is moot. Your championship team refuses to play anyone, anywhere, anytime. Instead, their slogan is “We will play anyone, as long as it is on our terms.”

SEC West division rival, LSU, might be a better team to copy. However, they could even beef this schedule up a bit. The lack of good non-conference games in the SEC is embarrassing.

Since 2008, LSU has played home and homes with: Wisconsin (another game in 2016 in Green Bay), Washington, and West Virginia. Yes, they do play some neutral site games (TCU in Texas, UNC in ATL), but they also had a BS “neutral site” game against Oregon in Texas.

Future home-and-homes on their schedule are: Texas, UCLA, Arizona State, and Oklahoma.

Because playing Iowa State home and home would be more of a challenge than playing Florida State anywhere? D’oh.

@day

Get a life and a clue. Do you need to be embarrassed by listing the FSU home and home series past and future compared to the lack of them by The Special Education Conf cowards,,Bama

Ok, lets see, people would complain & laugh at the thought of a home n home with Iowa St due to how great the Cyclones have been over the years. @Schoup: If you have the time sure.

@Day

BCS era 1998 to present FSU home/home series
Oklahoma, BYU, Colorado, Syracuse, ND(not this year-2002/03), Louisville, Miami X2, USC, Florida x 8

Alabama home/home series
Penn State, Duke, Oklahoma, UCLA…Bama lost both eds of home/home to UCLA and OKla 00-03 and stopped scheduling home and home. They played Penn State and Duke but that was pre schedule before losing 4 in a row home.home mentioned before. They have not scheduled a new home and home sense since the 0-4

So to summarize..Bama 4 series, FSU17

I understand completely & there is a reason why FSU played home n home & why Bama prefers neutral site games. The ACC was not that strong & The SEC is & was a very tough conference to play in. Now it is funny how FSU is playing neutral site games isn’t it? Getting a life & a clue is easy, this game may happen in the future, still not sure why Bama is a coward but FSU is not but that is ok, blame everything on Bama as usual. It should be a great game & I don’t see Bama backing down from it.

jealous fans continue their quest to make excuses why Alabama isnt good, despite alabama winning 3 out of the last 5 national championships and opening up with OOC power 5 teams damn near every year.

There you go, all fixed up and accurate.

you are really counting a rivalry game as a home and home for FSU? Seriously trying to tell me that playing miles away in the SAME STATE is a home and home worth mentioning? You think FSU schedules FLA because they are brave or because that is their IN STATE RIVALS. What are you smoking, i would like some. And I like how you fail to mention us beating Penn…..AT PENN. But hey keep on hating. Its raining championships in T-Town these days I can see where the envy comes from.

@day

You’re a typical Special Education Conf clown. Presented with facts you have no coherent response. Playing 4 away games OOC since 1998 is being a coward. They stopped scheduling OOC away after getting their @sses kicked by OU and UCLA. They lost both ends of home.home and stopped scheduling them. That’s being a coward. FSU plays away OOC games. Most of the SEC, a conf full of cowards avoids them at all costs especially if they have to leave the south. Btw, guess which conf plays the least OOC vs P5’s..The SEC by far. Only 11 P5’s played no P5’s OOC and 4 were in the SEC, 3 of them in the supposed great SEC West, which has been shown to be overrated…Miss, Miss st, A&M. LSU are all paper tigers. No other conf plays less than 30% of games vs P5’s, the SEC plays 20%. The SEC btw plays the most FCS schools and thus has the worst P5 to FCS ratio. BUt tom the not so bright like you, they are so great. Btw, if you actually look up facts their OOC record vs P5’s is not the best of P5’s in the BCS era.

@schoup: So basically what you are saying is that the SEC is this big evil conference that only likes to schedule cupcakes & cream puffs for OOC so they can get more SEC teams into bowl games right? Even though other conferences do the same thing but not by as much as the percentage rate that the SEC does which makes these other conferences less evil, right? So now I am a clueless, special ed clown. I love it! I gave you a coherent response, FSU is now scheduling one & done games because they know it will put & keep them in the spotlight, make more money, help with recruiting, they know this & that is why it is happening. If Alabama had to schedule home n home I’m pretty sure they would but they don’t have to. It is not coward, you just don’t like it so you call me & others names, not my problem or issue. I respect FSU & they are on the top of the world right now. Yes, you have been keeping up, Bama lost to UCLA & Oklahoma & for that I’m pretty sure Bama will never schedule another home n home again because they are cowards & scared. The pay checks are to big at neutral site games & recruiting helps a lot in other states, like Florida, Georgia & Texas. Business is business, its not being coward.

@day

You really are not bright. You an keep being a Special Education Conf or do you prefer Sister Equals Cousins. They don’t schedule as many P5 OOC b/c if you actually look at their record it’s not the top and not better than conf morons like you think they are so much better than. They avoid home/home b/c they wilt when they aren’t at home..losing or struggling to beat bad teams. Mizzou who will be SEC east champ 2 years in a row after being a also ran in the B12 lost to the worst team in the B10..Indiana.

Again, moron Bama doesn’t play home/home b/c they don’t think they can win a real road game and history over the last 25 years proves they don’t do well in OOC road games. They are scared. Please stop the money excuse, you’re putting you Special education Xon fan status on full display proving your ignorance. The difference between a home and a neutral site game is not much, it’s actually about what they pay to play their pathetic FCS games. You do know that playing a home & home with a team from that state is just as good as playing a neutral site, You’re still traveling so the travel cost is the same and if you have home and home you save the 1million to pay a cream puff the following year. So, if you were smart you would know the only reason for Bama not to play it is cowardice. Btw. moron the reason why teams who haven’t done neutral before are doing them is b/c it’s the only way the cowards like Bama will play them. Bama refuses to play schools like Oregon or FSU home and home b/c they are scared. Oregon. OSU, FSU and other AD’s have stated it bluntly that they tried to set up a series and Bama refused a home and home. They are one of the biggest cowards in college fball and that’s saying alot considering some of other SEC brethren are going on 2 or 3 years without playing a P5 OOC.

I understand I’m not so bright & don’t have a clue because I’m a clown & of course special ed so I need to get a life. Right? I would clearly think someone of your standard would know that Bama is not the only team that turns down home n home games. You act like Bama is holding all other teams hostage, if the other team or conference did not want to play Bama or a neutral site game then they would not. Your attitude makes it sound like Bama is a demon & the SEC is the devil. You seem very passionate to bash the SEC in which fine, name calling & acting a fool, seem to be your deal. I respect all teams & don’t really have anything bad to say about them, clearly that is what your all about & all you know. With that said, have a Happy Thanksgiving in hopes the playoff system ends to your liking! Sincerely from an SEC moron.

…..and someone help me with what’s wrong with the Georgia Dome? It’s as bad as Charlotte building two 22,000 seat arenas 10 years apart.

I’m guessing you missed the 2008 SEC Basketball championship where games had to be relocated to Georgia Tech’s campus. And the 1995 roof-rip, among other things? The Dome structure isn’t going to last anyway. Instead of trying some hideous “fix” like Stade Olympique did in Montreal, the better solution is what they’re doing… a state of the art stadium with a retractable roof. It will take advantage of the knowledge base built to protect the Marlins Stadium in Miami from heavy winds and rain…. and be safer.

Oh, and when the New Atlanta Stadium opens, it will be 30 years after the Georgia Dome opened, so your Charlotte comparison is bogus.

thanks for the data, I knew about the basketball near-disaster, and I do know the Ga. Dome is 25 years old….

Kevin I know nothing has been announced but is there going to be a kickoff game in Atlanta in 2016 because I saw on Twitter from you live in George so I was wondering if you have herd anything

i understand why alabama does it but i would like to see them play at least team that have a chance to win (UAB, Troy sun belt school maybe even buy home games (colorado, oregon st ) some what of a game

@thisguyabovemewow

In Alabama’s defense, they usually do have one very good non-conference game every season. But the fact that they are almost never played at an opponents stadium does, I believe, detract from their quality. By winning, Alabama has put itself in a position that it can schedule these high-profile neutral site and on-off games without having to give any sort of long-term concession, which obviously benefits them. So, good for them for having been so good for so long. I don’t think Maverick was saying Alabama is overrated/bad because they don’t play road non-conference games, just that it’s disappointing, which it is. I mean, how cool would it be to see Alabama play in the Big House or in a white-out Beaver Stadium?

Thank you for understanding what I wrote. Alabama is very good. Just like my Trojans. I’m excited to travel to Dallas to see the two of them square off. However, it’s ridiculous that we can’t play in Alabama and they can’t play in Los Angeles. USC agreed to play because we recruit in Texas, our students have enough money to travel, and we have a world-class band that is payed by the alumni to travel to every game.

Alabama did play in a white-out at Beaver Stadium in 2011. They won. However, they should continue to play these. You can still play the big time OOC neutral site game. Just play another Power 5 team home and home. That’s all we are saying. If you’re the champs, don’t you want to flex your muscle over every other team no matter what? Rocky did it over that Russian in Russia in Rocky IV!!!

I agree, as of right now Alabama has the privilege to play in these special games. I think the USC vs Bama game will be monster game & hope both teams are in the top 10 when they meet. Home n home series will come back sooner or later but right now the neutral site games are blowing up & if your a really good team these sites like Dallas, Atlanta, Houston & plans for more to come want you to play there.

Sure, neutral games are fun, but they also are the polar opposite to what college football is all about. Alabama doesn’t want to travel far, but others will. As such, these neutral games are actually home-away-from-home games. By the end of Bama’s season schedule, they will have played 7 home games, plus a neutral game that really is a home game, to make their home game schedule at 8. Then they will play 4 conference away games… Basically every other team in college football plays 6, sometimes 7, home games… The SEC is manipulating the system, which the NCAA and ESPN have yet to call them out on. It’s a shrew.

I won’t disagree with you but I don’t think traveling to Dallas is a home game, yes the opponents have to travel further then Bama in most cases expect for in 08′ Atlanta when Bama played Clemson or in 07′ when Bama played FSU in Jacksonville. The next three Bama neutral site games are a yes, opponents will travel a bit further but if Bama was not doing so well or if coach Saban was not there, they properly would not even get invited base on if they good or not. I think SEC teams get invited based on the how good there doing, expected to do & the crowds they bring. As you can see the neutral site games try to get the best teams from all conferences, match ups that is. But over all I get your point.

I’m very glad that you agree. Now can we agree that the class of the SEC needs to stop scheduling cupcake games (Sunbelt, CUSA, MAC, FCS… keep in mind the MAC is the best of these) and instead focus on Power 5 conferences? With only 8 conference games, you need to schedule at least 2 power 5 OOC games. You then should schedule 1 middle tier group of 5 team (AAC, Mountain West). The 12th game, you can schedule a cupcake game if you want. But let’s be honest, if the SEC is as good as you say you are, then there is no reason at least the top teams of the SEC should play a cupcake… If you are looking for other teams to compare yourself to, look no further than USC, UCLA, ND, Texas, and Oklahoma. THAT is how you schedule. ANYONE. ANYWHERE. ANYTIME. Champions don’t run away from competition.

‘Now can we agree that the class of the SEC needs to stop scheduling cupcake games (Sunbelt, CUSA, MAC, FCS… keep in mind the MAC is the best of these) and instead focus on Power 5 conferences?’ Well, you can say this about every conference, BIG, ACC, BIG12 also schedule teams from these conferences, that is where these (as people call them cupcakes) get a nice little payday.SEC is not the only one that schedules (cupcakes) & or these CUSA, Sunbelt or FCS. Most SEC teams play at least one P5 sometimes two. I never had to say the SEC was good, they have just proven it over the years. Just like the BIG12 was good in the 70’s” BIG was good in the 80’s” etc.. No one will ever match Notre Dame scheduling, being independent comes with rewards but down falls as well.

@day, that is very naive to say no one can match ND’s scheduling… USC and UCLA each year schedule 9 conference games and usually 2 strong Power 5 teams. Then they schedule 1 middle tier team… Oklahoma and Texas schedule 9 conference games, 1-2 strong Power 5 team(s), and 1-2 middle tier teams… When these conferences had 8 conference games a year, they all scheduled at least 2 Power 5 teams.

If you are really trying to say that teams from the SEC can’t schedule 8 conference games AND 2 POWER 5 TEAMS, then you are lying to yourself, sir. Either play 9 conference games and 1 Power 5 team like everyone else is now doing (even ACC is playing 8 plus ND each year)., or start playing 2. Or are you afraid to get swept by the ACC again?

All of you pukes are just sore loozers. When you are king of college football you pick and choose when and where you want to play. Since 07 we have beaten va tech twice. Clemson twice. Texas. Notre dame. Wisconsin. Mich state twice. Michigan. Penn state. Lsu 6 times. Ga twice. We take on all comers and we sqwash them. 16 time national champs. Whose is even close? No one. Kings of college football yestetday today and tomorrow. Roollllllllllll tide roll. Nick saban and the bear the greatest. Rtr