Mercedes-Benz Stadium impresses in opener
ATLANTA — It’s fitting that the new MercedesBenz Stadium would host the megalithic showdown between No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Florida State Saturday night.
The $1.5-billion venue is expected to be the crown jewel of Atlanta’s sports landscape with its one-of-akind camera-shutter retractable roof, its 24 bar and restaurants and a 63,800-square-foot scoreboard ribbon that hangs over the field.
The stadium will also host the SEC Championship Game, the Peach Bowl and this year’s national-title game.
“Having College GameDay, having a sold-out crowd, having the brandnew Mercedes-Benz Stadium, having the GOAT game, No. 1 vs. No. 3, we’re better lucky than good. We didn’t know all of that would happen,” said Peach Bowl CEO
“It’s bigger than any other kickoff game [in history] and I would tell ya, it’ll rival and is probably higher than our semifinal game last year with No. 1 against No. 4, Alabama vs. Washington. These first games of the year, people are so excited, they’re undefeated, they haven’t seen football in nine months, and then they have No. 1 vs. No. 3, it’s unheard of. Never been done in college football.” Atlanta Falcons owner
said having games like this one are one of the reasons the facility was built.
“One of the purposes we established early on in building this stadium was it was going to be the home for many great events,” Blank said. “To be able to host this particular game tonight and again Monday night on behalf of Chickfil-A is a unique opportunity for us.
“I’m happy that it’s an important game early in the year, and we’re looking forward at the end of the year to playing the national championship here followed up by the Super Bowl the year after, followed up by the Final Four, first time in the history of America where a complex has had the opportunity to entertain those three wonderful U.S. events in a row.”
For all the talk, rightfully, surrounding the arrival of Florida State fivestar freshman the incumbent to the starting running back job is not taking the hype as a slight by any means. Junior former a Orlando Timber Creek standout, has waited two seasons behind FSU all-time leading rusher
for his moment to shine. And he’s not holding a grudge by any means against Akers, the highest-rated offensive recruit Florida State has ever signed.
“I’m not going to have some kind of hatred towards him because people make it seem like it’s something that it’s not,” Patrick said of Akers.
“I’ve embraced him as a teammate and I’ve always helped him. I don’t really care what people say. I know my abilities. At the end of the day, we’re teammates, and I’ll always help him. If he was here, he’d tell you the same thing.
“He’s a great player. He’s going to be a great player for a long time to come.”
The Seminoles believe Patrick and Akers could prosper into a two-headed running back tandem supplanted by sophomore and freshmen
and
Both schools were represented by former Heisman winners in the coin toss. FSU brought back former quarterback
as an honorary captain while former Alabama running back filled in for Tide.
In addition to Winston, a star-studded list of FSU alumni were on the sidelines to see the Seminoles take on Alabama.
Included on that list are former defensive end
longtime NFL running back
and fresh off a 14-year NFL career at wide receiver. the Crimson