The 2017 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game will match two teams that qualified for the inaugural College Football Playoff in Florida State and Alabama, as the Peach Bowl announced the pairing of power programs Thursday.
The Palm Beach Post first reported the teams had agreed to play last month.
It's a matchup that will mark Alabama's fifth time playing in the season-opening game in Atlanta. The Crimson Tide has yet to lose in the Chick-fil-A game, beating Clemson, Virginia Tech (twice) and West Virginia since 2008. The game has been scheduled for Sept. 2, 2017 and will be the first regular season college football game played at the Atlanta Falcons' new domed stadium.
Alabama coach Nick Saban and FSU coach Jimbo Fisher have a history that will bring added intrigue to the matchup, as Fisher was Saban's offensive coordinator at LSU and once turned down an opportunity for the same role at Alabama. The teams last played in a neutral-site game in Jacksonville, Fla., in 2007. FSU won that game, 17-10.
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