ESPN College GameDay will kick off the 2017-18 campaign in Atlanta — as Alabama takes on Florida State in what has the makings to be a fantastic season opener. 
This won't be a new experience for either Alabama or Florida State considering they have been two of the top teams in college football as of late, but that doesn't change the hype and excitement. The folks at ESPN and College GameDay want an insane, rowdy environment to open the new season and that's exactly what they will get.
LOCATION
Atlanta, Ga. at Mercedes Benz Stadium: Alabama (14-1 2016) vs. Florida State (10-3 2016)
History
The Crimson Tide have dominated when it comes to ESPN College Gameday appearances — as this will be their 37th time appearing on the Saturday broadcast — more than any other college football program.
FSU is coming off a down year where it only was featured once on the popular college football show, but there's a great chance that will change this season as the Seminoles are favored by many to make a run toward the College Football Playoff.
MORE: College Football Stadiums Debuting In 2017
The two storied programs have only met four times since 1965, with the last meeting in 2007 resulting in a 21-14 Florida State victory.
Guest Picker Predictions
For the very first week it's really tough to predict who will fill in as the legendary guest-picker, but I'll give it a gander. ESPN has already welcomed Eric Church, Rick Ross, Brian Wilson, Marcus Luttrell, Joe Namath and some more I'm clearly missing when they have visited Tuscaloosa. Let's think a bit outside the box here, though. It is in Atlanta after all.
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TI
You can't even mutter the word Atlanta without thinking about TI (the rapper who is actually named Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.) and we all know he's a die-hard sports fan. I couldn't find any concrete evidence of TI ever making his way to the College GameDay set, so it would certainly make sense.
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USHER
The ATL is a hotbed for hip-hop and R&B so Usher is another name that would make a ton of sense as a guest-picker. He used to be one of the biggest icons in R&B and still finds a way to produce quality hits.
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Matt Ryan
Keep in mind the college football season kicks off a week before the NFL — so why not bring in the QB from the hometown squad that just came off a trip to the Super Bowl? Oh and remember Ryan was also NFL offensive MVP — so I could really see this one happening.
