Nick Saban expresses excitement about starting off the season in Tuscaloosa

Opening the college football season at a neutral site is common for many of the top teams in the nation, something that Alabama has done in eight of their last ten Week 1 matchups.

But this season the Crimson Tide will kick things off at home, as they host Middle Tennessee in their first game of the season. And with game day now just a few days away, head coach Nick Saban spoke to the importance of starting the season off in Bryant-Denny Stadium in front of a home crowd.

“We’ve always had great fan support regardless of where we’ve played. There’s always been great enthusiasm, I think our fans are a big part of the team,” Saban said. “The atmosphere they create during games is something that’s part of the tradition around here that makes guys want to play here whether they’re recruits coming to see the games or whether they’re players on the field.”

The Crimson Tide haven’t lost an opening day matchup in 22 years, dating back to their Week 1 loss to UCLA in 2000.

Whether it’s been in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta or Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Alabama always seems to get the job done to start the season. Pair that with their impressive, undefeated record at home in the last three seasons, and it could be bad news for the Blue Raiders this Saturday.

“So it’s always important and this game is important to us, it’s important for this team to create an identity and fans can have a significant impact on that with their energy and enthusiasm,” Saban said.

The Crimson Tide will specifically be looking to create an identity on the offensive side of the ball following numerous changes in the offseason.

Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young has departed to the NFL after two seasons as the team’s starter along with the Crimson Tide’s leading rusher and receptions leader from last season Jahmyr Gibbs. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien also took his talents back to the NFL this offseason after two seasons in the role.

Former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees now takes the reigns of Alabama’s offense, but the Crimson Tide are still yet to name a starting quarterback with kickoff just a few days away. Quarterbacks Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson battled for the starting job in the spring, with former Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner joining the competition late after transferring in this summer.

There’s definitely still a lot of questions in Tuscaloosa with the season on the doorstep, but hopefully, many will be answered this Saturday when the Crimson Tide take on Middle Tennessee at 7:30 p.m. ET in a game airing on SEC Network.