TUSCALOOSA -- The University of Alabama unveiled their 2011 football schedule today with one noticable surprise on the schedule, Coach Nick Saban's alma mater, Kent State. The meeting between the schools will be the first time ever.

Coach Nick Saban graduated with a business degree in 1973 from Kent State, and then went on to earn a master's degree in sports administration in 1975 while working as a graduate assistant for two seasons.

Kent State athletic director Joel Nielsen said in a statement today, “What a tremendous opportunity for us to open our 2011 season against one of the preeminent programs in the country, especially when the head coach is a Kent State alum,” Nielsen went on to say “In addition to the obvious tie to coach Saban, the experience of playing in that kind of atmosphere will be a memorable one for our players and fans.”

The Kent State game will be the season opener for the Crimson Tide. The game will be September 3, 2011 at Bryant Denny Stadium.
Other highlights on the schedule include a trip to Joe Paterno's stomping grounds in a trip to Beaver Stadium on the second game of the season (Sept 10), road trips to Florida, Ole Miss, Miss. St., & Auburn, other non-conference match-ups in North Texas & Georgia Southern, and an old SEC foe from the SEC East (Vandy) that rotates into the schedule once again.

All in all, it is a challenging schedule for the Crimson Tide to play, but a very doable one in terms of who we play & the way that the open date comes before LSU. The LSU game will be in Tuscaloosa, so that will be a good game.

Below is the 2011 Alabama Football Schedule.

2011 football schedule
Sept. 3 vs. Kent State
Sept. 10 at Penn State
Sept. 17 vs. North Texas
Sept. 24 vs. Arkansas
Oct. 1 at Florida
Oct. 8 vs. Vanderbilt
Oct. 15 at Ole Miss
Oct. 22 vs. Tennessee
Oct. 29 OPEN
Nov. 5 vs. LSU
Nov. 12 at Mississippi State
Nov. 19 vs. Georgia Southern
Nov. 26 at Auburn

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