TALLAHASSEE — Row by row, Florida State’s students moved lower and closer to the field. And when the final seconds ticked off the clock, with Tommy Castellanos taking a knee three times in a victory formation, the crowd poured onto the field at Doak Campbell Stadium in a raucous celebration.
FSU’s 31-17 upset of No. 8 Alabama on Saturday was the stunner of Week 1 of the 2025 college football season. Alabama was viewed as a contender for the College Football Playoff, and FSU was a two-touchdown underdog at home after a 2-10 season.
“We heard everything everybody said,” Castellanos said. “We just had that fuel to the fire.”
FSU’s boosters funded a massive renovation of Doak in the offseason, modernizing a 75-year-old stadium. What fans saw was a down-to-the-studs remodel of the FSU football roster.
Here are three things learned from FSU’s season-opening win:
FSU has intangibles that were missing in 2024.
From leadership and accountability to two of coach Mike Norvell’s favorite terms — edge and desperation — the intangibles that were lacking a year ago were present in FSU’s opener. Alabama even scored first on a 16-play, 75-yard drive that nearly took nine minutes.
Perhaps that was the punch the Seminoles needed. The offense scored on its first three drives and Alabama didn’t find the end zone again until the fourth quarter.
“I’ve used the buzz words of edge and desperation,” Norvell said. “That comes from the heart and you saw heart. You saw a team that absolutely loved playing this game together and was physically dominant, emotionally together and they responded.”
Castellanos, skill players are a match for Malzahn’s offense.
Gus Malzahn had defeated Alabama five times while he was at Auburn, either as offensive coordinator or head coach. Add one more as FSU’s new offensive coordinator.
“Felt like old times tonight!!” Malzahn posted on Twitter/X.
Malzahn called for motions, misdirections and jet sweeps. Coupled with FSU’s speed and improved blocking, as well as Alabama’s poor tackling in space, the Seminoles racked up 230 of their 382 offensive yards on the ground.
FSU’s rushing total was the most against a ranked opponent since 2021. This is FSU’s blueprint to build drives, score points and win games. Malzahn promised a physical run game built around a dynamic quarterback, with Castellanos leading the way — 152 passing yards on just 14 attempts, 78 rushing yards and, just as important, no turnovers.
White’s defensive scheme was up to task vs. Alabama.
Defensive coordinator Tony White’s new 3-3-5 scheme produced top-10 rush defenses in his two seasons at Nebraska. But FSU was 107th against the run in 2024.
With a mix of returning starters, transfers and a few new faces, FSU’s defense gave up 56 rushing yards on the opening drive and then just 31 rushing yards the rest of the game. Alabama earned that first touchdown on the ground and by converting on third downs and a fourth down.
But the Seminoles quickly settled in and held the Crimson Tide to 6 of 17 on third downs and 2 of 5 on fourth downs. The Seminoles didn’t record a takeaway, but they added three sacks, broke up five passes and had five hurries — rattling first-time Alabama starting quarterback Ty Simpson.
“We worked our butts off from January to this very moment,” FSU linebacker Justin Cryer said. “And what happened in that game was not a surprise to anybody in that room. Maybe to you all, but not to us. I feel like moving forward that sets the tone for how we want to play defensively.”
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/08/31/seminoles-fortitude-washes-away-crimson-tide/
