The Falcons will be moving into a new home for the 2017 season and they’ll get some help from the college ranks breaking in their new digs.
Alabama and Florida State will play the first college football game at the new stadium on September 2 when they face off in the 10th Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game. It will be the fifth appearance for the Crimson Tide in the game -- they’re 4-0 in their previous appearances -- and Florida State’s first time opening the season under the banner of the chicken sandwich concern.
“The game with Alabama will be one of the highlights of the college football season,” Florida State Director of Athletics Stan Wilcox said in a statement. “Both schools have significant alumni bases in Atlanta, and we would expect the media coverage of the game to be on par with some of the biggest non-conference games in recent history. The exposure for our University and our athletics program will be invaluable. We look forward to the game and playing in a fantastic venue.”
There’s no NFL schedule for the 2017 season at this point, but it’s a good bet that the season will open on September 7, the first Thursday after Labor Day, at the home of the Super Bowl champions. Unless that’s the Falcons, their first regular-season game at their new stadium could come on September 10 or 11.
