Miami Hurricanes To Face Alabama In 2021 Season Opener
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - It's official. The Miami Hurricanes and Alabama Crimson Tide will meet in Atlanta to kick off the 2021 season.
Here's the full statement from the University of Miami:
For the first time in 28 years, Miami and Alabama will face off on the gridiron in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. An exact date, kick time and television network will be finalized at a later date.
The 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game will mark the 18th time the Hurricanes and the Crimson Tide have faced each other, but the first meeting since 1993. The two teams last met in the 1993 Sugar Bowl to conclude the 1992 season when (2) Alabama handed (1) Miami a 34-13 defeat to win the national championship. That game ended a 29-game Miami winning streak and gave the Crimson Tide its first national championship since 1979.
"It's truly special when you can create a dream matchup like this featuring two of the biggest brands in college football," said Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and President Gary Stokan. "The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game has been fortunate enough to attract some of college football's most decorated programs. This matchup will certainly continue that tradition."
"With two teams of this caliber playing for the first time in nearly three decades, it really is going to be an electric atmosphere and an epic celebration of college football here in Atlanta," said Percy Vaughn, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl chairman.
Miami will be making its debut in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game and will be the ninth ACC team to make such an appearance. The Hurricanes return to Atlanta for the first time on a neutral field since their clash with LSU in the 2005 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
"The University of Miami has a proud football tradition and a history of matching up against the very best," said Miami Director of Athletics Blake James. "We welcome the opportunity and the challenge in facing Alabama in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, and I know that it will be an amazing college football experience for our student-athletes, coaches and fans."
"We are excited to kick off the 2021 season against Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. Both teams have great tradition. We are looking forward to the battle," said Miami Head Coach Mark Richt.
Alabama will be making its record-seventh appearance in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game. The Crimson Tide hold a 5-0 record in the event after a 24-7 victory against Florida State in this year's Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game and are set to open the 2019 season in Atlanta against Duke. The Crimson Tide's 2021 appearance will continue the streak of SEC teams appearing in a Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game every year since its inaugural season in 2008.
"We are pleased to have the opportunity to open another season in Atlanta for the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. Our team and our fans have always enjoyed playing in Atlanta and Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a fantastic competitive environment," said Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban. "This event always has the feel of a bowl game and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl staff has made it a first-class event. We have a lot of respect for Coach Richt and the Miami program, and we look forward to a great game in 2021."
"We look forward to returning to Atlanta for what will be Alabama's seventh appearance in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game," said Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne. "As we experienced last weekend, the city of Atlanta coupled with the atmosphere of Mercedes-Benz Stadium makes for an incredible bowl-like event for both teams and fans, and we are honored to be a part of it."
The 2021 matchup will mark the 13th ACC vs. SEC meeting in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game since 2008, with the SEC currently holding a 9-1 advantage over the ACC in those games.
The game averages 68,887 – higher than the attendance of 38 bowl games last year – and has an average total team payout of $5.18 million which is higher than 27 bowl games last year. Television viewership is also traditionally strong with more than 60 million viewers tuning in to the series since its inaugural series in 2008.
The teams will battle for The Old Leather Helmet Trophy, one of college football's newest rivalry-style icons. Traditionally, winners of The Old Leather Helmet don the helmet on the field after the game, starting with the head coach and then rotating from player to player as the team celebrates its victory.
For more information, visit Chick-fil-AKickoffGame.com.
This is the latest in a handful of high-profile openers the Hurricanes will play in the coming seasons. Miami will open 2018 with the LSU Tigers in Arlington, Texas, and 2019 with the Florida Gators in Orlando's Camping World Stadium.