Saturday’s matchup in Tuscaloosa carries more than just the usual early-season weight. No. 10 Alabama gets Florida State at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Sep. 19, 2026, at 2:30 PM CT, with ABC carrying the game and Alabama installed as a 19.5-point favorite.
For the Crimson Tide, this is a chance to answer last season’s 31-17 loss to the Seminoles. For Florida State, it’s a pressure-packed trip into a building where the noise will be coming from everywhere, including the sideline. Mike Norvell enters the week with the heat turned all the way up after guiding the Seminoles to only eight wins in their last 18 games, and the firing of former athletic director Michael Alford earlier this week only adds to the tension around the program.
Florida State’s best path starts on the ground. The Seminoles have rushed for 416 yards in two games, averaging 208 per contest with five rushing touchdowns, and Ousmane Kromah has been the engine. He ranks No. 2 in the ACC in rushing, is averaging 115 yards a game, and is putting up 6.42 yards per carry.
The passing game, though, has not come close to matching that production. Ashton Daniels has thrown only two touchdown passes and is averaging 163 yards through the air.
Still, he has been on this stage before. Last season, as Auburn’s starter in the Iron Bowl against Alabama, Daniels totaled 367 yards and a touchdown in a seven-point loss to the Crimson Tide.
Florida State needs that version of him on Saturday.
The Seminoles have also struggled to get much from their top wideouts. Duce Robinson and Micahi Danzy have combined for just 11 catches and no touchdowns, leaving the passing attack stuck in neutral. Whether that comes back to conservative play-calling from Norvell or issues with Daniels’ accuracy, the result has been the same.
Defensively, Florida State has one clear strength: stopping the run. The Seminoles are giving up just 101 rushing yards per game. Beyond that, they have not looked like a unit that can dictate terms for four quarters.
Alabama’s offense looks very different from last season’s group. Ryan Coleman-Williams is the only returning starter on that side of the ball, and he has averaged 19 yards per catch without scoring yet. First-time starting quarterback Keelon Russell has already accounted for 521 total yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Tide’s most productive runner has been Daniel Hill, a 6-foot-1, 234-pound back who runs like a linebacker. Hill has gained 151 yards and scored three times, averaging 5.59 yards per carry.
The real strength of this Alabama team is on defense. The Crimson Tide have been swarming, physical, and hard to move, ranking in the top ten nationally in total defense at 185 yards per game and in rushing defense at 32.50 yards per game. They’re allowing only 13.5 points a game, with linebackers Caleb Woodson and Luke Metz leading the tackle count.
Florida State’s upset path is straightforward: get into Alabama’s rebuilt offensive line, which has just 30 career combined starts, force Russell into mistakes, and turn drives into touchdowns instead of field goals. The Seminoles also need Daniels to connect with Robinson and Danzy and Kromah to keep the rushing attack rolling.
Alabama’s formula is just as clear. If Hill can hammer the Florida State front and Russell can keep finding answers against a Seminoles pass defense that has been shaky through two games, the Tide will be in position to settle the score.
In Other News...
Mike Norvell's Future Suddenly Carries A Price FSU Fans Will Hate
Mike Norvells tenure at Florida State has reached a place nobody in Tallahassee expected when he signed that massive extension last year. He is in his seventh season with the Seminoles and carries a 39-35 record, while the deal he put pen to paper on runs through 2031 and pays in the neighborhood of $10 million to $11 million annually. The timing of the conversation around his future is made even trickier by the fact that Florida State has already moved on from athletic director Michael Alford, the man who signed off on the extension.
Now the noise around Norvell has only gotten louder, fueled in part by recent on-field frustration and even a viral photo of a moving truck at his home. If Florida State were to pull the plug after the upcoming game against Alabama, the financial hit would be staggering, with a buyout around $48 million, among the largest in college football history. That figure could drop if Norvell lands another job, but for a fan base already uneasy, the size of the bill is exactly the kind of detail that makes this situation feel more complicated by the day. [Read more 🡒]
FSUs Comeback Just Took A Brutal Turn In The Backfield
Florida States offense got a major jolt in its game against Alabama when Samuel Singleton Jr. went down after a 65-yard catch and later was seen leaving the field with crutches. Before the exit, Singleton had been a meaningful part of the Seminoles attack, helping the comeback effort and giving the backfield a needed spark.
Now the focus shifts to how Florida State fills the void if he has to miss time. The Seminoles have not yet issued an official update on Singletons status, and in the meantime the burden will fall on other running backs to pick up the workload in a game that already took a brutal turn. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Showed Enough To Compete But One Problem Never Let Up
Florida State had enough offense to hang around with Alabama for long stretches, but the Seminoles could never fully get out from under the pressure in a 50-36 loss that was delayed twice by lightning. Their quarterback piled up 343 passing yards and accounted for four touchdowns, giving Florida State real stretches of momentum and keeping the game within reach even as Alabama answered repeatedly.
The problem never let up on the other side of the ball, where Alabama's quarterback was sharp and efficient, hitting 23 of 30 throws for 320 yards, three touchdown passes and another score on the ground. Florida State's three interceptions proved costly throughout the night, and even with the offense showing it can move, the Seminoles were left with the same lingering concern that kept every comeback attempt from gaining real traction. [Read more 🡒]