Texas Tech is taking Tommy Tuberville back to his roots, having reportedly reached a verbal agreement to open the 2012 season against defending national champion Alabama at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

"We've agreed to do it," Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal in Wednesday's editions. "I think Alabama's agreed to do it. But, we haven't gotten down to signing a contract or anything like that."

Myers said both coaches -- Tuberville and Alabama's Nick Saban -- are "on board" with the decision to play the game.

The Tuscaloosa News, citing anonymous sources in the Alabama athletic department, reported that the Crimson Tide have not agreed to the matchup.

"That's not something we've agreed to," Saban told ESPN's Chris Low. "We have a lot of options for 2012. We're in the process of weighing them. That's one of them."

Tech hired Tuberville in January after firing Mike Leach amid controversy after 10 seasons. Tuberville was Auburn's head coach from 1999 to 2008 before stepping down with an 85-40 record, including a 7-3 mark against the Crimson Tide.

Under Mike Leach, the Red Raiders were often criticized for scheduling weak nonconference games. Tech will open the 2010 season at home against much-improved SMU and will also face New Mexico, Weber State and Houston. The Red Raiders played Big 12 foe Baylor at Cowboys Stadium last season.

Alabama, the defending BCS national champion, has opened each of the past two seasons with a neutral-site game in Atlanta against an ACC opponent. The Crimson Tide will open the 2010 season with back-to-back home games this season against San Jose State and Penn State.

Jeff Caplan covers colleges for ESPN Dallas. You can follow him on Twitter or leave a question for his weekly mailbag.