After a weather delay that pushed kickoff back nearly two hours, Florida State had Alabama on the ropes in Tuscaloosa. Then the whole thing flipped.
The Seminoles built a 21-6 first-half lead at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, only to watch Alabama seize control and roll to a 50-36 win. The loss drops Florida State to 1-2 and stretches its road losing streak to 10 games, a run that dates back to 2023.
Florida State looked sharp early, especially quarterback Ashton Daniels. He opened the night nearly flawless, going 7-of-8 for 156 yards with a touchdown and an interception before the second weather delay.
He also ran for a score, helping push the Seminoles ahead 21-6. Florida State still led 21-13 with 2:36 left in the first half when the game was delayed again.
Once play resumed, Alabama changed the script fast. The Crimson Tide scored two touchdowns before halftime and kept the pressure on after the break, outscoring FSU 24-15 in the second half.
The biggest issue for Florida State was on the other side of the ball. The Seminoles opened with back-to-back punts, but they never found a way to slow Alabama after that. The Crimson Tide scored on nine straight drives and piled up 50 unanswered points, including five straight touchdowns to take over the game.
Keelon Russell was a major reason why. He threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns and added a 57-yard rushing score that slammed the door.
Alabama also gashed FSU on the ground for 252 yards, with three different players reaching the end zone on runs. In all, the Crimson Tide finished with 572 total yards, and Florida State never forced a turnover to stop the bleeding once Alabama got rolling.
Daniels’ night was a mix of flashes and frustration. In the first half, he looked more comfortable than he has at any point this season, completing three passes of 20 yards or more. One of the biggest came on a 56-yard throw to Micahi Danzy, which set up Ousmane Kromah for a touchdown two plays later.
But the momentum shifted after the weather delay. Daniels forced a third-down throw to Jayvan Boggs that was intercepted, and Alabama turned that into points two plays later. He bounced back just enough to open the second half by leading a scoring drive capped by a short touchdown pass to Landen Thomas, but the turnover had already changed the feel of the game.
Daniels did finish with a big statistical line: 16-of-28 for 377 yards. He also led a late drive that included chunk plays to Duce Robinson and Michai Danzy before Daniels punched in his second rushing touchdown of the night. Still, his third interception came on a throw that sailed over his receiver, and the turnovers ended up costing Florida State badly.
Even with the result, the Seminoles generated explosive plays in the passing game. FSU had 344 passing yards on 10 big plays and six gains of 30 yards or more. It was the most efficient Norvell’s offense has looked since 2023, and Robinson was featured more heavily than he had been earlier in the season.
But the offensive positives couldn’t overcome the mistakes or Alabama’s response. Florida State put up yardage and created some real fireworks, yet the 10 points off two Daniels turnovers proved too much to survive.
In Other News...
Mike Norvell's Future Suddenly Carries A Price FSU Fans Will Hate
Mike Norvells tenure at Florida State has reached a stage where every result feels heavier, and the financial reality around his job only makes it more complicated. He is in his seventh season in Tallahassee with a 39-35 record, and after signing an eight-year extension in 2024 that runs through 2031 and pays roughly $10 million to $11 million annually, the Seminoles are now dealing with the fallout of a much different kind of pressure than the one that came with that deal.
Florida State also recently fired athletic director Michael Alford, the administrator who signed Norvells extension, which has only added to the uncertainty around the programs direction. Add in the buzz generated by a viral photo of a moving truck at Norvells home, and the speculation has only grown louder, especially with the upcoming game against Alabama looming and a potential buyout of about $48 million hanging over any sudden change. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama's Mike Norvell Near-Miss Looks Even Bigger Now
When Nick Saban retired in January 2024, Mike Norvell quickly emerged as one of Alabamas top targets, and the fit seemed real enough that talks reportedly got into advanced territory with the Crimson Tides athletic director. Instead, Norvell stayed at Florida State after landing a contract extension, a decision that looked like a major hold-the-fort moment for the Seminoles at the time. It was the kind of coaching crossroads that can shape a program for years, especially when a rival national power comes calling.
Since then, though, Florida States on-field slide has made that near-miss feel a lot larger in hindsight. The firing of the athletic director has only added another layer of uncertainty around the program, and it has inevitably renewed questions about Norvells long-term future in Tallahassee. What once looked like a big escape from a possible change now feels more like the start of a stretch Florida State still has not fully figured out. [Read more 🡒]
FSUs Comeback Just Took A Brutal Turn In The Backfield
Florida States comeback effort against Alabama took a worrying turn in the backfield when Samuel Singleton Jr. went down after a 65-yard catch and was later seen leaving the field on crutches. Before the injury, Singleton had already been an important part of the Seminoles offense, helping provide some much-needed explosiveness as the game wore on.
The immediate concern now is his knee and what it could mean for Florida State moving forward, since the team has not yet offered an official update. If Singleton is forced to miss time, the Seminoles will have to turn to other running backs to absorb the workload and keep the ground game moving. [Read more 🡒]