Florida State looked like the better team in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, at least for the first 28 minutes of the game. But the second half belonged to the Alabama Crimson Tide, scoring 24 points and running away with a 50-36 victory over the Seminoles.
Even though the Florida State Seminoles played their most complete game of the season for only the first 28 minutes of the game, they left Tuscaloosa as 50-36 losers to the 10th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.
After a weather delay postponed the opening kickoff for one hour and 45 minutes, toe finally met leather. The FSU passing offense came alive and moved the ball down the field at will on the vaunted defense of the Tide.
The Seminoles defensive line swallowed up the Alabama running backs and made them non-factors, if only for a little while. The beleaguered fans in Bryant-Denny Stadium were stunned.
First Half
Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels completed 67 percent of his passes for 189 yards and a touchdown, and also added a rushing touchdown. He also threw two costly interceptions. Three trips to the red zone, and three touchdowns scored as Florida State took a 21-13 lead.
Seminoles’ receiver Duce Robinson caught four passes for 87 yards and a touchdown, his first of the season. Michai Danzy had one catch for 56 yards, and Jayvan Boggs had one catch for 35 yards.
Running back Ousmane Kromah gained 51 yards on nine carries and scored a touchdown. Kromah is looking for his third game of 100 yards or more rushing.
The Florida State defensive line stonewalled the Alabama running backs and allowed just 27 yards on the ground and no rushing touchdowns. Alabama averaged just 1.9 yards per rush. Alabama managed just one conversion on seven attempts on third down in the first 30 minutes.
Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell threw a screen pass to Ryan Coleman-Williams, who took it 46 yards for a touchdown to cut the Seminoles’ lead to 21-19. A two-point conversion attempt to tie the game failed.
The next possession by Florida State with 1:30 left in the half resulted in a three-and-out and forced a Florida State punt. With 0:34 seconds left in the first half, Russell connected with Lotzier Brooks for 40 yards, then for 16 more yards for a touchdown to Kaleb Edwards to take a 26-21 lead at the break.
Russell threw three touchdown passes in the half, on 18-of-23 passing (78 percent), and no interceptions. Alabama outscored Florida State 23-7 in the second quarter.
Second Half
What a difference a second weather delay makes. After a brief stoppage of play, but no standard halftime period, the third quarter began with Florida State getting the ball first. The Seminoles drove down the field, courtesy of a 65-yard completion from Daniels to Sam Singleton Jr., to set up a touchdown pass play from Daniels to tight end Landen Thomas to retake the lead at 28-26.
Alabama answered with an 8-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a 4-yard rushing touchdown by EJ Crowell to take back the lead at 33-28. Florida State would never have the lead again. Alabama scored 24 second-half points to put the game out of reach, as Florida State simply could not stop the Crimson Tide juggernaut.
What we learned…
Whatever page or pages of the playbook that allowed Florida State to take a 21-6 lead in the first half of this game, coach (and play-caller) Mike Norvell ripped them out, folded them into paper airplanes, and tossed them into the stands for the kids to play with. The Seminoles looked like a complete football team, for a total of 28 minutes in the first half.
But it was a tale of two halves. The second half was all Alabama.
Daniels’ three interceptions, stalled drives, no aggressive play-calling on offense, and no defensive pressure on Russell were the Seminoles' downfall. Russell, the youngest quarterback (age 19) to start for Alabama since Jalen Hurts in 2016, had his way with the Florida State pass defense.
He threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns, and added a rushing touchdown. Russell completed 77 percent of his passes. He also added 56 yards rushing.
The Florida State defensive line could not stop the Alabama offense. They had essentially zero pressure on Russell (only one sack), and not enough penetration (six tackles for loss) to force negative plays. The Seminoles' defenders just gave up too many explosive plays, and 615 yards of total offense and 50 points to the Crimson Tide.
Now the college football world is waiting to see what news, if any, comes out of Tallahassee tonight, or Sunday morning regarding Norvell’s status as head coach. Florida State falls to 1-2 overall, and 0-1 in the ACC. Alabama remains undefeated at 3-0, 1-0 in the SEC.
