Alabama gets a breather from SEC play this week, but there’s still a familiar name waiting at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The Crimson Tide will host Florida State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC, a return trip from last season’s meeting in Tallahassee that went badly for Alabama. Coming off a comeback win over Kentucky in Lexington, UA now turns its attention to a Seminoles team that has been far from its usual standard over the last two seasons, yet still has enough talent to cause problems if overlooked.
Florida State’s recent record tells the story. The Seminoles went 2-10 in 2024 and followed that with a 5-7 mark in 2025, again falling short of bowl eligibility.
This season started better, with a 34-17 win over New Mexico State, but the momentum stalled in an ACC opener loss to SMU. That game also had an unusual start, delayed by electricity problems in Doak Campbell Stadium.
There’s a new face running the offense in Tallahassee. Gus Malzahn has retired, and Tim Harris Jr. has taken over after previously serving as the Seminoles’ passing game coordinator and wide receiver coach.
At quarterback, Florida State is leaning on Ashton Daniels, who transferred in from Auburn and stepped into the starting role. Daniels has already faced Alabama before, starting last season’s Iron Bowl and throwing for 259 yards with one touchdown and one interception in that game.
Mike Norvell remains the most recognizable figure on the Florida State sideline for Alabama fans. He was there in 2023 when the undefeated Seminoles were left out of the College Football Playoff in favor of 11-1 Alabama. He was also a serious candidate for the Crimson Tide job after Nick Saban retired, before Kalen DeBoer took over and Norvell received a lengthy extension from FSU.
Since then, the results haven’t been kind to Norvell. Florida State’s rough 2024 and 2025 seasons put him on hot seat lists before this year began, and another win over Alabama would only help his standing.
The last time these teams met, Alabama walked into Tallahassee as the favorite and left stunned. Florida State won 31-17 on a rainy day, and the Crimson Tide never really settled in.
Tommy Castellanos was a major factor in that upset, and Alabama had no answer for him after he spent the offseason needling the Tide. Castellanos then followed the win by releasing merchandise the next day.
Saturday brings a different setting, and the Tide enter it in a different place, too, fresh off the Kentucky comeback while Florida State has had two weeks to sit on the SMU loss. Still, Alabama has enough reason to treat this one carefully. If it handles business at home, it would be a strong final tune-up before SEC play ramps up in Week 4 against South Carolina.
In Other News...
Florida State's Latest Shakeup Comes Right Before Alabama
Florida State made a notable administrative change just as Alabama is preparing to see the Seminoles on the schedule, announcing that Michael Alford is out after four years as athletics director. Bruce Warwick will step in on an interim basis while the school searches for a permanent replacement, adding another layer of uncertainty around a program already under pressure.
The move comes with concerns growing around Florida State footballs recent results under Mike Norvell, and the timing only sharpens the focus on what the Seminoles look like heading into a high-profile matchup with Alabama. For a game that already carried plenty of attention, the off-field shakeup gives it an even more unsettled backdrop. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Top 10 Return Puts One Big FSU Question On Offense
Alabamas climb back into the AP top 10 came with the kind of finishing kick the program wanted to show after the opener. The Tide pulled away from Kentucky 45-17, and the second half offered a cleaner look at what is starting to take shape on both sides of the ball. Jackson Lloyd has settled in well at left tackle, not allowing a pressure through two games, while inside linebackers Luke Metz and Caleb Woodson have been active pieces in a defense that is settling into its identity.
The next test is less about ranking movement and more about the kind of roadblock Alabama needs to clear against Florida State. Keelon Russell has already said his own play has to improve, and that kind of self-assessment matters with a matchup like this looming. Alabama is also carrying the memory of a previous loss to the Seminoles, which adds a little extra edge to a game that already feels like an early measuring stick for where this offense really is. [Read more 🡒]
Keelon Russells Early Alabama Issue Is Harder To Ignore Now
Keelon Russells first major bump in an Alabama uniform came with a little extra visibility Saturday, when the quarterback was flagged multiple times for intentional grounding in the win over Kentucky. It was the kind of outing that can happen to a young passer still settling into the speed and pressure of SEC football, but it also put a spotlight on the parts of his game Alabama will need cleaned up quickly as the schedule keeps moving.
Kalen DeBoer pointed to execution and decision-making when addressing the penalties, a reminder that the Tide are still looking for more comfort and control from Russell in those moments when a play breaks down. Russell, for his part, said he got off to a slow start and said he is committed to improving in the games ahead, which is the right response even if the bigger question now is how fast that progress shows up. [Read more 🡒]