ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Ahead of the Alabama football season, the Crimson Tide will kick off the 2018 campaign against Georgia Tech with a home game on Saturday, Aug. 14 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The home opener is the first of five SEC contests this season.

The Crimson Tide opened the season with three straight wins against Georgia Southern, Georgia Southern State and Georgia Southern.

Alabama (9-3, 6-2 SEC) is looking to end the season at 4-2 and become the first SEC team to sweep a bowl game since LSU beat Alabama State in the 2017 Cotton Bowl.

Alabama’s home opener against Georgia is the third-straight meeting between the two schools.

Alabama will be the first team to play Georgia Tech in the inaugural Cotton Bowl since LSU did so in 1990.

In addition, the game will be played at a new Georgia Tech stadium, the Georgia Dome.

The Bulldogs (5-8, 2-8) will be looking to avenge a 33-21 loss to Alabama last season, which came in the first game of the season.

Georgia Tech will be playing in its first season as a member of the SEC and the first since 2007.

The Crimson Tide is also scheduled to open the season in the second game of a seven-game home stretch, on Aug. 21.

With its schedule, Alabama is looking for a perfect start.

It will host the Texas A&M Aggies (3-11, 0-6), who are coming off a 41-24 victory at Auburn on Saturday.

The Aggies are coming into the game on a six-game winning streak, which includes wins over Oklahoma State and Ole Miss.

For Alabama, the challenge is in trying to hold on to its winning streak.

The Tide has won three straight games against the Aggies, which has started the season 3-0 against the Tide.

As Alabama continues to look to the future, the first-year coach said he has no regrets about having a new coaching staff.

“This program is going to be a force to be reckoned with,” he said.

“The team is very good, and it is a great group.

The offensive line is playing well, and the defensive line is doing well.

And you have a great coaching staff that has a lot of experience in the SEC.”