Florida State can probably hang around for a while on Saturday. The problem is what happens after that.
That’s the common thread in the Noles247 staff’s takes on the Seminoles’ trip to face No. 10 Alabama, where the early stages could look competitive before the Crimson Tide’s edge in talent, coaching and physicality starts to take over. Several of the predictions point to a close first half, but not much confidence that Florida State can sustain it for four quarters.
John Evans sees the matchup swinging on Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell, who comes in after the Tide allowed 466 total yards to Kevin Jennings last time out. Evans says Florida State’s best shot is to force Russell into the kind of mistakes he made against Kentucky and the near-turnover moments Jennings created, but he also notes the Seminoles’ defensive line has not shown it can generate that kind of pressure this season. If Florida State starts sending extra rushers, Evans warns that Russell could make plays out of structure and hit big gains behind them.
Evans also likes what Alabama is doing on the ground, saying Kalen DeBoer appears to have finally settled on a consistent run game after two uneven seasons in Tuscaloosa. With Alabama’s offensive line expected to outmuscle Florida State up front, Russell should be in favorable spots all afternoon.
On the other side, Evans says the Seminoles have ways to attack the Tide defense in theory, but through two weeks they have not looked like a group ready to cash in, and Ashton Daniels has not played like the quarterback who can keep pace. His pick: Alabama 38, Florida State 13.
Trey Rowland lands in a similar place, calling it a rough setup for Florida State because of the opponent, the offense, the third-down defense and the off-field noise. He also points to the Seminoles’ road struggles, joking that they have not won away from home since the Clinton Administration.
Rowland expects Alabama to establish the run, use that to create shots to Ryan Coleman-Williams, and lean on pressure to make Daniels uncomfortable. His prediction: Alabama 41, Florida State 20.
Chris Nee’s read is that this Alabama team looks stronger than the one Florida State upset a year ago, while also noting that the Seminoles are less dangerous than they were then. He highlights Russell as a dual-threat problem, with Daniel Hill and the rest of the backfield giving Alabama more punch on the ground than it had last season.
Nee also points to the Tide’s wide receiver talent, heavy tight end usage and motion, all of which make the offense harder to sort out. Against a Florida State defense that has struggled to prevent explosives and get off the field, he thinks that’s a major concern.
Nee’s defensive view of Alabama is just as strong. He says the Tide are playing together better than they were at the start of last season, with talented cornerbacks, a capable safety group and a front seven that can pressure quarterbacks and handle the run.
He also credits defensive coordinator Kane Wommack for adjusting well in-game, especially after halftime. Offensively, Nee doesn’t see Florida State finding balance, and he believes this could be its toughest day on the ground so far in 2026.
He says the Seminoles may need to lean on Daniels’ running ability to make things complicated and create explosive scoring chances, but they’ll need a clean game, good field position and a turnover edge to have any real shot. Even then, he doesn’t like the outlook in Tuscaloosa.
Kolby Crawford agrees that Florida State could make this interesting early, but he thinks Alabama is the better team and the more complete one, especially at running back and on defense. He also sees a Crimson Tide group with some extra motivation after last season’s result.
Crawford says Wommack’s defense looks more disguised, more multiple and built to take away what Florida State wants to do. For the Seminoles, he says the biggest task is unsettling Russell in just his third career start.
On offense, Crawford believes Florida State has to lean on the run and avoid asking Daniels to attack Alabama’s secondary through the air. Even so, he doesn’t think the Seminoles can hold up for four quarters, and he expects Alabama to pull away as the game wears on.
In Other News...
Mike Norvells Future Just Got More Uncomfortable For Florida State Fans
Public pressure around coaching searches has a way of spilling far beyond the sideline, and Mike Norvell is the latest Florida State coach finding his personal space pulled into the conversation. With speculation about his future already hanging over the program, even something as ordinary as a box truck at his residence becomes part of the surrounding noise, another example of how closely the sport watches coaches when their standing starts to wobble.
Florida State fans have seen this kind of scrutiny before, and college football keeps proving that a coachs job security can become a public spectacle long before any official decision is made. The attention does not stop with football, either, as similar media fascination shows up in basketball and other sports whenever uncertainty builds, which is exactly why every small detail around Norvell now feels bigger than it ought to be. [Read more 🡒]
Florida States 2027 Schedule Just Changed The Mike Norvell Debate
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Compared with the tougher look of 2026, the 2027 setup stands out as the kind of schedule that can matter when the conversation turns to Mike Norvells future. Florida State will still have to deal with Clemson on the road and Miami coming to town, but the overall balance of the league slate gives the Seminoles a better chance to build momentum, and perhaps a better backdrop for the debate over where the program is headed under Norvell. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's Mike Norvell Reality Just Got More Complicated
Florida States football turbulence is now tied to a much bigger reset inside the athletic department. University leadership is putting the focus on restructuring the whole operation and strengthening revenue generation and business functions, rather than rushing into a quick verdict on Mike Norvell. For now, the preferred approach is to let the season play out while the administration sorts through how it wants the department to look moving forward.
The timing leaves Norvell in a familiar but uneasy spot, with fan frustration still simmering after the recent losses. Florida State is also preparing to redefine the athletic director role around business expertise and a broader organizational overhaul before naming a successor to the recently dismissed AD, which means the football decision is unfolding inside a larger administrative rewrite. In other words, the coachs future is still very much in play, but it is no longer the only issue driving the conversation. [Read more 🡒]