TUSCALOOSA _ The University of Alabama released its 2010 football schedule Wednesday which features Penn State and the return of defending national champion Florida to the regular season.

"We continued to try and work the schedule so we have one out-of-conference game a year that would be of national interest," Coach Nick Saban said. "Penn State, the next two years home-and-home, sort of does that for us. I know we have Georgia Tech and Michigan State down the road, and we have one year that we have figure out, I think it's 2012.

"Philosophically, that's what we're trying to do with the schedule."

The Crimson Tide will open the season Sept. 4 against San Jose State, which will serve as the debut of renovated Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama will also complete a home-and-home series with Duke, and make the trip to Durham on Sept. 18.

"Duke is going to have a good program under David Cutcliffe," Saban continued. "He's a very-well respected coach, in my opinion and will do a good job there."

The 2010 SEC Football Championship Game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The weekend of Saturday, Oct. 30, will serve as Alabama's open date.

2010 ALABAMA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Site

Sept. 4 San Jose State Bryant-Denny Stadium

Sept. 11 Penn State Bryant-Denny Stadium

Sept. 18 at Duke Durham, N.C.

Sept. 25 *at Arkansas Fayetteville, Ark.

Oct. 2 *Florida Bryant-Denny Stadium

Oct. 9 *at South Carolina Columbia, S.C.

Oct. 16 *Ole Miss Bryant-Denny Stadium

Oct. 23 *at Tennessee Knoxville, Tenn.

Oct. 30 Open Date

Nov. 6 *at LSU Baton Rouge, La.

Nov. 13 *Mississippi State Bryant-Denny Stadium

Nov. 20 Georgia State Bryant-Denny Stadium

Nov. 26 * Auburn Bryant-Denny Stadium

*Southeastern Conference (SEC) opponent