Auburn vs. Louisville

Auburn huddles on the field warms up before the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

(JULIE BENNETT)

Auburn has scheduled its Power 5 non-conference opponent for the 2018 football season.

The Tigers will play Washington of the Pac-12 in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sept. 1, 2018 and televised on ESPN/ABC, the teams announced Thursday.

"We're excited about the chance to play in what will be a world-class venue and great atmosphere for the 2018 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game," Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said in a release. "Our student-athletes love big games on big stages, and playing a quality opponent like Washington in this new stadium at such a prestigious event will be a great experience.

"Since our goal every year is to get to Atlanta and compete for a championship, I also like the opportunity for our team to play there early in the season. That's an advantage for us. Atlanta is a great city, and the Auburn Family has a huge presence there. So it's a great game, venue and location for our student-athletes and our fans."

A neutral-site game has long been expected and the first ever meeting of the teams will mark the third time Auburn will play in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game over seven years. Auburn, the designated home team for the game, will receive a $4.2 million payout - highest ever for a neutral site game for the program. Auburn agreed to receive 40,088 tickets, which will be available via the school's ticket office.

"We are thrilled to welcome Washington and the Pac-12 to the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, as well as the opportunity to host Auburn for a third time," Peach Bowl president and CEO Gary Stokan said in a release. "As two of the top 20-winningest programs of all time, these teams represent the best in college football. It's going to be a memorable start to the season and there is no better place to host this than in Atlanta, the capital of college football."

Auburn played in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Clemson in 2012 and faced Louisville in 2015, for which Auburn was paid $3.2 million.

"We're looking forward to the opportunity to play in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game for a third time," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said in a release. "Auburn has a great fan base in Atlanta and we've always had a big number of Georgia kids in our program. We appreciate the partnership we've had over the years with the great people at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl."

RELATED: Auburn's 2017 football schedule

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution first reported the game with Washington, which is the the third non-conference opponent Auburn has scheduled for 2018, joining Southern Miss (Sept. 29) and Alabama State (Nov. 17). The Tigers have one non-conference game remaining to schedule that year.

"We are excited to compete in the 2018 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta," Washington coach Chris Petersen said in a release. "I know our team will look forward to competing against a great program in what will surely be a thrilling atmosphere inside the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium."

Auburn also has SEC home games with Arkansas, LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M and travels to Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama in 2018.

The scheduling of the one-off meeting with Washington, which is the first Pac-12 team to play in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game, ends a particularly laborious process for Auburn to schedule a Power 5 opponent in 2018, which began with talks with Florida State in March 2015.

"The Chick-fil-A Kickoff game is well known as a terrific event, and we are honored to participate," Washington athletic director Jennifer Cohen said in a relase. "The trip will provide an exciting opportunity for our student-athletes to compete on a national stage inside a first-class venue, and should be a fun trip for a great number of Husky faithful."

With the exception of 2020, Auburn has non-conference games with Power 5 opponents scheduled for each season though 2024. Auburn travels to Clemson in 2017, will open 2018 and 2019 with neutral-site games, facing Oregon in Arlington, Texas in the latter, and has home-and-home series with Penn State (2021-22) and Cal (2023-2024).