Florida, Michigan to open 2017 season in Cowboys Classic

LSU beat TCU 37-27 in the 2013 Cowboys Classic at AT&T Stadium. (Sarah Glenn/Getty Images)

Michigan and Florida will open the 2017 season in the Cowboys Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the schools announced Thursday.

Michigan will be the away team with Florida designated as the home team.

The game will be played Sept. 2, 2017. The teams have met twice in bowl games with Michigan defeating Florida 41-35 in the 2008 Capital One Bowl and 38-30 in the 2003 Outback Bowl.

"You don't get these opportunities very often,'' Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said in a statement. "Our schedule has been pretty consistent through the years. We were presented this opportunity and just thought it was something that our fans would embrace, our program would embrace. It would give us great national visibility. Obviously, a very difficult ballgame against a storied program -- that excites us."

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Michigan played in the Cowboys Classic in 2012 and lost to Alabama 41-14.

"We are excited to make a return trip to Dallas for the Cowboys Classic against Florida," Michigan coach Brady Hoke said in a statement. "This is a great way to reach our fan base in the south and to continue to expand our recruiting efforts in the state of Texas. Our goal is to have as many Michigan fans at the game as possible."