Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell could break out against Florida State this Saturday.
The Alabama Crimson Tide will play host to the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday afternoon, and they will be seeking revenge from last year.
Everyone remembers Alabama's 2025 season opener, when Florida State thumped the Crimson Tide, 31-17, in Tallahassee. Keelon Russell wasn't the starting quarterback then, but he was on the roster, so surely, he can recall the mood.
And this time around, Russell can play a pivotal role in flipping it.
Russell did not look his finest during the first half against Kentucky last week, as Alabama trailed 17-13 heading into the break. And while he didn't exactly light it up in the second half, either, he at least played considerably better as 'Bama outscored the Wildcats 32-0 over the final 30 minutes for a 45-17 victory.
Now, Russell will have the opportunity to have a breakout game at home.
The stage seems to be set for the redshirt freshman, who had to have a confidence boost when he was able to recover from such a poor first half in Week 2.
Russell also surely knows that Austin Mack is waiting on deck, so if he does continue to struggle, Kalen DeBoer might not hesitate to make a change.
That's what makes this meeting with a very pedestrian Seminoles squad that much more imperative for him.
We know Russell has the talent. He's a former five-star recruit, after all. He just needs the experience, and there is no question that the lumps he took at Kentucky should benefit him moving forward.
Florida State is not the Florida State of yesteryear. It is, at the moment, a broken football program that went 7-17 combined in 2024 and 2025, which is what made Alabama's opening night loss to the Noles last August all the more frustrating.
But it also provides a great chance for an Alabama squad that appears more talented than last season to rout FSU in Tuscaloosa this weekend ... with Russell leading the charge.
Yes, Russell still has a lot of growing to do. Yes, he will likely continue to make some mistakes. But I am also expecting improvement from the youngster each week, especially given the bevy of weapons he has at his disposal.
Look for Russell to have a much stronger all-around performance here in Week 3, and I expect the Crimson Tide to win convincingly.
