SportingNews.com: Michigan football season opener vs. Alabama rated as top non-conference game of '12

By Nick Baumgardner University of Michigan Sports Reporter

Posted on Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 1:02 p.m.

In 59 days, the Michigan football team will open its 2012 season against Alabama at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The countdown's been ongoing for months, it seems, and one national publication can't wait for kickoff.

SportingNews.com rated the five best non-conference college football games for the 2012 season, and the Wolverines' bout with the defending national champion Crimson Tide tops the list.

Fitz Toussaint and Michigan will battle Alabama on Sept. 1 from Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Michigan-Alabama -- which kicks off at 8 p.m. on Sept. 1 from Arlington, Texas -- sits in front of the rest of the top five: Miami at Kansas State, Clemson at Auburn, Boise State at Michigan State and Virginia Tech at Cincinnati.

In addition, SportingNews also rated Michigan's non-league schedule as the second-best in America for next season.

The Wolverines will play Alabama on a neutral field, Air Force at home, Massachusetts at home and Notre Dame on the road.

The top-rated schedule on SportingNews' list? That belongs to Syracuse.

The Orange host Northwestern, USC and Stony Brook, and travel to Minnesota and Missouri.

Tags: Wolverines,

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Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.