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Why 2017 Alabama-Florida State opener is big deal for college football

By Shannon Sickmon

Oct 8, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Kermit Whitfield (8) carries the ball past Miami Hurricanes linebacker Michael Pinckney (56) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. FSU won 20-19. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 8, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Kermit Whitfield (8) carries the ball past Miami Hurricanes linebacker Michael Pinckney (56) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. FSU won 20-19. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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College football’s 2017 opener between Florida State and Alabama is a gigantic deal, and here’s why.

If you haven’t had the chance to look over the upcoming 2017 college football schedules because you have been climbing Mt. Everest or something, here’s the deal. On Saturday, Sept. 2, the first full week of college football play takes place, and it’s a doozy.

Florida State and Alabama, possible top-five ranked teams, are playing each other in Atlanta. It could even end up being a battle between No. 1 and No. 2 if the preseason polls are any indicator.

Look, everyone knows that Alabama’s football team is talented beyond all sense or reason. Nick Saban is an evil genius and a furious recruiter. His 2017 squad, despite massive losses on the defense, should still be as good as ever.

That’s not why this game is huge, though. Alabama is always great. Florida State’s team is respectable as well — the two teams are generally some of the best in college football. The ‘Noles won national titles in 2013, 1999 and 1993. I could list Alabama’s national titles, too, but we’d be here all day.

The 2017 marquee first-week season opener against FSU is big news for a couple of reasons. First, if the two teams end up in the top spots, this will be the first time that No. 1 and No. 2 have played each other in the season opener — ever. There have been top-five rivalries to start the season, sure.

Namely, 1983’s game with No. 1 Nebraska taking on No. 4 Penn State, or 1988’s game with No. 1 FSU playing 6th-ranked Miami. Even if the Seminoles end up at No. 4 or No. 5 in the preseason polls it will still be an amazing game. Not to belabor this point, but top-20 teams kicking off the season has only happened 13 times in college football. Not to mention that this will be the inaugural game at the wondrous new Mercedes-Benz stadium. (No, seriously — the stadium is freaking amazing.)

The fact that FSU coach Jimbo Fisher used to work for Saban is another fun factor that should make this game interesting. Fisher is one of the few Saban employees that has managed to carve out a successful career on his own.

Granted, Kirby Smart still has time to prove himself, but Georgia Bulldog fans are not very tolerant. Jim McElwain is still struggling to create a program at Florida, and Lane Kiffin is languishing in Conference USA as head coach of the Florida Atlantic Owls. I’m not disparaging the FAU football team, it just seems a bit pedestrian for the former OC of one of the best teams in the country.

Regardless, this means that Fisher is cognizant of Saban’s playing style and may actually give the demonic coach a challenge. Fisher’s record against SEC teams is 9-1 — pretty darn impressive.

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Yes, I am a blatant FSU supporter, and I am scared. If the Seminoles can take the field with the kind of confidence they showed at the Ole Miss game last year, they will have a serious shot at defeating Saban’s squad.

Even if they can’t there is no shame in losing to the Crimson Tide — it certainly doesn’t mean that the Seminoles season is over. This game has it all–national title implications, high drama, high-profiles, and brilliant squads. Should be one heck of a season opener.

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