It is Revenge Tour '26, as No. 10 Alabama will look to avenge their loss to Florida State last season with a stingy and dominant defense to keep the Seminoles out of the red zone.
No. 10 Alabama (2-0, 1-0 in SEC) will be looking to avenge their 31-17 loss to Florida State (1-1, 0-1 in ACC) of a season ago. The Crimson Tide will try to accomplish this feat with a young, inexperienced, and first-time starting quarterback, and a fierce, relentless and dominant defense.
The Seminoles will try and counter with a quarterback who has faced this team before in SEC play, and performed well. In addition, they will unleash a talented rushing attack. Bryant-Denny Stadium will be a pressure cooker, not just for the visiting players, but for Florida State coach Mike Norvell.
Broadcast Information
Date: Saturday, Sep. 19, 2026
Time: 2:30 PM CT
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TV: ABC
Betting Odds: Alabama -19.5-point favorite
Norvell will be coaching for his job on Saturday. He has coached the Seminoles to just eight wins in their last 18 games, and the fans are ready to storm the athletic administration offices with clubs and pitchforks to force a change.
Former athletic director Michael Alford was fired earlier this week. Could Norvell be next on the chopping block? That could depend on what happens on Saturday.
Florida State Seminoles
The Seminoles’ offense is powered by their rushing attack. After two games, Florida State has gained 416 yards, averaged 208 yards per game, and has scored five touchdowns on the ground. The focal point of the offense is led by running back Ousmane Kromah. Kromah is ranked No. 2 in the ACC in rushing, and has averaged 115 yards per contest this season. He averages 6.42 yards per carry.
If and when the Seminoles do throw the football, starter Ashton Daniels has only thrown two touchdown passes, and has averaged 163 yards per game through the air. As the starter for Auburn in the Iron Bowl against Alabama last season, Daniels accounted for 367 total yards and a touchdown in a seven-point loss to the Crimson Tide. That is the version of Daniels that needs to manifest itself for Florida State on Saturday.
Whether Norvell is being too-conservative in his play-calling, or Daniels is overthrowing or short-hopping his passes, the Seminoles’ passing offense has been totally devoid of their two best receivers, Duce Robinson and Micahi Danzy. Both have a combined 11 catches between them, and zero touchdowns.
On defense, the one thing they do well is stop the run. The Seminoles allow barely 100 yards per game (101 yards). Other than that, the Florida State defense has not been a dominant force to be reckoned with at this point of the season.
Alabama Crimson Tide
The only returning starter on offense for Alabama this season is receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams. That’s it. Williams has averaged 19 yards per catch over the first two games of the season, but has yet to find the end zone. First-time starting quarterback Keelon Russell has accounted for 521 total yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
The leading rusher for Alabama is Daniel Hill. At 6-foot-1, 234 pounds, Hill is built like a linebacker. Hill has rushed for 151 yards and three touchdowns, and is averaging 5.59 yards per carry.
The Alabama defense is a throwback to the Nick Saban days: attacking, formidable, and unyielding. They are a top ten unit in total defense (185 yards/game) and rushing defense (32.50 yards/game). And, they allow 13.5 points per game. They are led by linebackers Caleb Woodson and Luke Metz, their leading tacklers.
Florida State will win if…
If the Seminoles can exploit the rebuilt Alabama offensive line (30 career combined starts) and put pressure on Russell and force some mistakes. Also, if Daniels can find his rhythm throwing the football to Robinson and Danzy and score touchdowns, not settle for field goals. And, if Kromah can continue his upward trajectory running with the football.
Alabama will win if…
If Hill, and his bruising running style, can run over and through the Florida State defense for big yards. If Russell can pick apart the Seminoles’ pass defense, which has been suspect to say the least in their first two games.
The fans will be glued to their stadium chairs to see who wins this one, and to hear what news comes out of Tallahassee immediately afterward.
