Alabama finalizes 2017 schedule with Mercer

The University of Alabama put the finishing touches on its 2017 football schedule when it was announced that it will host Mercer, which joins Florida State, Fresno State and Colorado State to fill the out-of-conference portion of the 2017 schedule.

Mercer announced the two-game series Friday. UA will also host the Bears in 2021.

Alabama opens the season and the new Georgia Dome with a date against Florida State on Sept. 2. UA follows with home dates against Fresno State on Sept. 9 and Colorado State on Sept. 16.

Alabama usually hosts an out-of-conference game the week before its annual tilt against Auburn, meaning the game with Mercer would likely fall on Nov. 18.

Besides its annual games with SEC Western Division foes, Alabama hosts Tennessee in 2017 and travels to Vanderbilt.

Mercer plays in the Southern Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision of the NCAA. The school broke the news of its two-game series with UA.

"We are excited to add one of the elite college football programs to our schedule in 2017 and 2021," Mercer coach Bobby Lamb said in a news release "This will be a great opportunity to test ourselves against a championship program in one of the most storied gameday environments in the country."

Reach Aaron Suttles at aaron@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0229.