Alabama’s defense had one of those afternoons it will want back in a hurry, even in a game the Crimson Tide won going away. Florida State walked into Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19 and punched Alabama early, building a 21-6 lead before the Tide steadied itself and rolled to a 50-36 victory.
The final score looks comfortable enough. The first half did not.
For more than a half, Alabama had trouble getting off the field against both the run and the pass. That showed up immediately as Florida State stacked three touchdown drives totaling 216 yards on just 19 plays. The Tide defense was better after halftime, but the opening stretch left plenty for that unit to sort through on film.
Alabama’s start on offense wasn’t much cleaner. For the second straight week, the Tide opened sluggishly, with the offense failing to move the chains on its first two possessions.
Between those stalled series, the defense allowed Florida State to march quickly for a 7-0 lead, capped by Ousmane Kromah’s 38 yards on three carries on the drive. Slow starts have become a recurring issue under coach Kalen DeBoer, and this one fit the pattern.
Quarterback Keelon Russell kept moving forward, though. His development is still very much in progress, but the signs were encouraging here.
He avoided the turnover issues that hurt him at Kentucky and delivered what was easily his best performance in his three starts. Early in the game, he left a clean pocket too soon and took some plays off schedule.
In the second half, he looked much more settled and much more comfortable operating from the pocket, just as he did late against UK.
The turning point came in a strange, weather-disrupted stretch at the end of the first half. With 2:36 left before halftime, the second weather delay hit, and officials said the third quarter would start right after the second.
That meant Alabama lost the normal halftime break, even though the Tide probably could have used it. The game, which was scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m.
CT, stretched well past five hours. It was also supposed to be one of the hottest Alabama games on record, but the delays and rainfall during the first stoppage took some of that edge off.
That bizarre sequence flipped the game. Alabama was down 21-13 when it started, then got two defensive stops and two touchdowns before the second quarter ended. In that span, the Tide turned an eight-point deficit into a 26-21 lead, and freshman safety Ivan Taylor sparked the swing with an interception.
From there, Alabama kept stacking points. The offense scored touchdowns on five straight possessions, erased Florida State’s early advantage and built its own 40-28 cushion.
There were still a few rough moments. A roughing-the-punter penalty on freshman Ivan Taylor in the fourth quarter, with Alabama ahead 40-28, was a costly mistake. Florida State couldn’t make the most of the extra life, but in a tighter game it could have changed everything.
One other thing stood out on the Alabama side: Ryan Coleman-Williams wasn’t featured nearly enough early. With his explosiveness needed, there wasn’t a concerted push to get him touches.
Russell’s reads help determine where the ball goes, but offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb can still manufacture touches with screens and other quick throws. Coleman-Williams didn’t show up until 4:11 left in the first half, when he caught a fourth-down pass to move the chains and keep Alabama’s first touchdown drive alive.
Grubb did get him involved after the weather delay, and Coleman-Williams turned a quick swing pass on the next possession into a 46-yard touchdown, his first score of the season.
That was too late to change the bigger picture, but not too late to matter.
In Other News...
Keelon Russell May Have Changed Alabamas Ceiling Faster Than Expected
For a quarterback still finding his footing, Keelon Russell made Alabama look awfully grown up against Florida State. He helped drag the Crimson Tide out of a 21-6 hole, finished 23 of 30 for 320 yards and three touchdowns, added 56 rushing yards and another score, and guided an offense that scored on seven straight possessions in a 50-36 win.
The bigger takeaway for Alabama is not just the comeback itself, but how quickly Russell appears to be raising the programs offensive ceiling. He was careful afterward to describe himself as still developing, which is probably the most intriguing part for the Tide: if this is the early version, the rest of the league has reason to pay attention. [Read more 🡒]
Danny Kanell Takes Another Shot At Alabama Over Weather Delay
The Alabama-Florida State season opener turned into a long night of stops and starts after lightning pushed the game through multiple weather delays, turning what should have been a clean first look at both teams into a test of patience. As the interruptions stacked up, CBS Sports analyst Danny Kanell took to social media and questioned whether the second delay was really necessary, adding another layer of scrutiny to a game already shaped by the weather.
Kanells comments quickly drew pushback, with the response centering on the safety standards that guide lightning-related suspensions rather than the feel of the storm from a TV booth or social media feed. Weather professionals then stepped in to explain the rules behind those decisions, a reminder that these delays are not made on instinct, even when they frustrate fans and analysts alike. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Gets An Early SEC Reality Check In New AP Poll
The first real stretch of SEC play has already started to reshape the AP top 25, and Alabama fans can see how unforgiving that weekly grind can be. Ole Miss win over LSU gave the Rebels another boost in the league race, while Florida moved into the rankings after a road win at Auburn, a reminder that early conference games can swing the national conversation fast.
Texas A&M also took a hit after falling to Kentucky, a result that only added to the sense that the leagues middle tier is still sorting itself out. For Alabama, the early poll movement serves as a useful checkpoint on what the SEC demands week after week, with contenders, sleepers and disappointments all starting to separate a little more clearly. [Read more 🡒]