(This story was updated to change or add a photo or video.)

Believe it or not, this weekend marks the Crimson Tide's next-to-last home football game of the 2024 regular season.

The University of Alabama plays the Mercer University Bears at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, with gates set to open at 11 a.m. The game will be available for streaming on ESPN+/SEC Network+.

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Fans can expect sunny skies with temperatures in approaching the low 70s. Tickets are available at www.rolltide.com priced from $25 to $45.

Here's what you need to know about activities before and during the game:

Pregame entertainment

Champions Lane, a 60,000-square-foot entertainment area, will open at 9 a.m. northwest of Bryant-Denny Stadium on the lawn behind the Tuska elephant statue.

Admission is free to the area, which includes a concert stage, food trucks from World of Beer and Texas Roadhouse, a beer garden lounge with casual seating, LED videoboards for fans to watch other college football games in progress, an autograph tent and more.

The Crimson Tide Sports Network's pregame radio show will broadcast live from the Bud Light Backyard Concert Stage beginning at 10 a.m.

Country-rock band Smith Distillery will perform from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the same stage.

Autograph opportunities will include the Alabama Spirit team and Big Al at 10:30-11 a.m. in the Alabama Public Health tent and members of the UA Men’s and Women’s golf team in the same tent from 11 a.m. until noon.

Champions Lane will close when the game kicks off.

For a map of the area, go to championslane.com/champions-lane-map.

Walk of Champions and Elephant Stomp

Two of UA's most popular pre-game rituals take place within walking distance of Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Walk of Champions and the Elephant Stomp.

Fans can cheer the UA football players, Kalen DeBoer and the UA coaching staff members as they arrive by bus for the game at 10:40 a.m. along the Walk of Champions on the north side of the stadium. That's the side of the stadium that also includes statues of Alabama national championship coaches — Paul W. "Bear" Bryant, Nick Saban, Gene Stallings Frank Thomas and Wallace Wade.

The Elephant Stomp, a pregame pep rally featuring elephant mascot Big Al, the Million Dollar Band and UA cheerleaders, will begin at noon at the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library. The band will play the school fight song, "Yea Alabama," and then march down Colonial Drive, leading Crimson Tide fans into the stadium.

Inside the stadium

This game is designated as a "Bama Salute" military appreciation game, recognizing men and women of the nation's armed forces. The game ball will be delivered by the U.S. Army's Silver Wings Parachute Demonstration Team.

The 37th Flying Training Squadron from Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi will conduct a pregame flyover.

UA’s honorary game captains will be brothers Jeff and Gary Rutledge. Gary Rutledge played quarterback on Paul W. "Bear" Bryant's 1973 national championship team, while Jeff Rutledge quarterbacked Bryant's 1978 national championship squad.

Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: A fan's guide to the Alabama vs Mercer football game