Game week is here as Alabama opens the season next Saturday against Florida State.

As the Crimson Tide has catapulted to the top of the college football mountain since 2007, the program has also set the trend around college football for playing season opening games at neutral sites.

Coming into this season, Alabama has opened the season at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta or AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in seven of their last nine seasons.

The upcoming trip to Mercedes Benz Stadium marks Alabama’s fifth trip to Atlanta to open a football season.

On a recent edition of The Blitz, former Alabama fullback Martin Houston discussed the reasons that Nick Saban likes to play season opening games at neutral sites.

The former fullback examined a number of areas that playing neutral site contests against programs such as USC, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin and Michigan have done to benefit Alabama including recruiting and overall national exposure.

Houston also tackled the issue of how neutral site games affect the value of tickets for season ticket holders.

He reminded listeners how the University of Alabama utilizes neutral site games to attract students to Tuscaloosa.

“The university wants it because its national exposure and they’re recruiting students from all over the country.” Houston said.

The former Crimson Tide fullback later relayed how games like next Saturday’s clash with Florida State motivates the players during fall practices and how neutral site games with big name opponents can help Nick Saban’s successor as head coach with future scheduling.

The Blitz kicks off kicks coverage of Alabama football every weekday from 6-7 AM on Tide 102.9/100.9 and the radioPup app.

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