Alabama will give Arkansas State a record payday in 2018

Finding nonconference FBS opponents isn’t easy for the Crimson Tide these days.

It is one of the unintended consequences of being so successful.

When you win national championships at the rate at which Nick Saban is doing it at Alabama, the invitation to visit Bryant-Denny Stadium just doesn’t sound very welcoming to many Group of Five conference schools.

So how do you entice those programs to come play a game anyway?

Money. And lots of it.

According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Troy Schulte, the recently agreed upon 2018 meeting between Alabama and Arkansas State will cost the Crimson Tide a pretty penny and set a school record for the Red Wolves:

ASU football scheduling news: Red Wolves will play at Alabama on Sept. 8, 2018. ASU will get $1.7 million for the game, a new school record.

— Troy Schulte (@TroyMSchulte) February 17, 2016

It will be the third time Arkansas State and Alabama have faced off, and the first meeting since a 35-0 Crimson Tide win in 2008.

The Red Wolves, which were once coached by both Ole Miss’ Hugh Freeze and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, are not afraid to play major FBS opponents.

Arkansas State has traveled to USC, Auburn, Missouri, Tennessee and Miami in recent seasons.

The Red Wolves also hosted Missouri in Jonesboro, Ark. during the 2015 season.