The Alabama football team will open the 2012 season against the University of Michigan on Sept. 1, 2012, in the “Cowboys Stadium Classic” at Cowboys Stadium. The primetime kick off will be televised by either ESPN or CBS and will mark the fourth time the schools have played.

The Alabama-Michigan contest will be the third time since 2008 that the Crimson Tide has opened the season at a neutral site in front of a primetime national television audience. Alabama opened the 2008 and 2009 seasons with victories against ACC opponents Clemson and Virginia Tech, respectively, in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta.

Alabama will be the home team, and the Wolverines will be the away team. The game officials will be from the Big 12 Conference.

The three previous meetings between Alabama and Michigan occurred in bowl games. Most recently, Michigan edged Alabama, 35-34, in overtime in the 2000 Orange Bowl. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 2-1-0.