Predicting the 2025 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Opponent’ Season: Florida State Seminoles Preview, Game Picks, POLL

It is that time of year. It is time for the wild blind dart-throwing predictions of Alabama opponents for the 2025 season. First up, is…

GAME 1, AUG 30: FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES

Head Coach: Mike Norvell (33–27 20–20 after 5 seasons)

2024 record: 2-10 (1-7 in ACC, dead last place)

Looking back: There have been plenty of dumpster fire seasons in the annals of college football history. But the 2024 FSU campaign has to be up there with one of the all-timers. Following 10-3 and 13-1 seasons – and a whole bunch of whining – the 2024 ‘Noles flew 4,000 miles just to get whooped by Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland. Then some random FSU bro proclaimed that he would eat dog dookie out of a red solo cup if his beloved team lost to Boston College. After a 15 point drubbing at home to the Eagles, that dude reneged on his promise and went into hiding. If he had just eaten that poop, things might have gotten better. Right? Instead, the Seminoles went down the tubes. A home loss to Memphis was followed by an ugly home win over new ACC member Cal. Florida State would not see another win until November 23 against godawful FCS Charleston Southern who themselves went 1-11.

Returning starters: 0.5* on offense, 3 on defense, 0 specialists.

* Not counting RB Roydell Williams and RG Richie Leonard, both of whom were lost for the season in the fourth game. True freshman Landen Thomas started the final seven games at tight end.

Key losses: CB Azareye’h Thomas (Jets, Round 3), DT Joshua Farmer (Patriots, Round 4), CB Fentrell Cypress, All-American K Ryan Fitzgerald, All-ACC P Alex Mastromanno, QB DJ Uiagalelei (addition by subtraction?), QB Luke Kromenhoek (xfer to Mississippi State), leading rusher Lawrance Toafil (all of 456 and team leading 3 TDs), DE Marvin Jones Jr. (Oklahoma), leading receivers Ja’Khi Douglas and WR Malik Benson (juco>Bama>FSU>Oregon), DT Joshua Farmer, DL Patrick Payton (LSU).

Top returnees: NT Darrell Jackson, leading tackler SS Shyheim Brown, RB Roydell Williams (medical RS), QB Brock Glenn (ready when Castellanos melts down), DB coach Patrick Surtain Sr.

Top newcomers: OC Arthur Gustav Malzahn III (Aub>UCF), Krazy Kristi Malzahn, DC Tony White (formerly at Nebraska), veteran OL Coach Herb Hand (PSU, Aub, Texas, UCF), WR Squirrel White (xfer from Tennessee), QB Thomas Castellanos (Boston College), WR Duce Robinson (So Cal), C Luke Petitbon (Wake Forest), LT Gunnar Hansen (Vanderbilt), EDGE James Williams (Nebraska), LB Elijah Herring (Tenn > Memphis), DE Deante McCray (59 TKL at WKU), CB Jeremiah Wilson (4 INT, 4 PD, 3.5 TFL w/ Houston in 2024)

Strengths: Gustav should help the offense… Tony White led the Cornhuskers to the 17th lowest scoring defense in FBS in 2024 at 19.5 ppg… LBs might be okay… The two WR xfers (Squirrel and Duce) are upgrades from what was an atrocious FSU receiving corps last season… A pretty weak schedule outside of Bama, Miami, Clemson, and Florida…

Weaknesses: Gustav will have to rebuild the entire offense including five new starters on the offensive line… Castellanos has the potential to be a cancer… Defense has to learn a new 3-3-5 multiple scheme… Offense will have to learn each other’s names… FSU was 107th in rush defense last year. They should be better, but still have a long way to go… All-around depth… freshmen kicker and punter… Fans will not be patient if things go to @#$% again…

Outlook: After a nightmare season, the Seminoles have nowhere to go but up. Knowing he had to make changes, head coach Mike Norvell canned both his coordinators and brought in Gus and White, who in turn brought in a few of their lieutenants from UCF and Nebraska, respectively. It appears that Norvell has gotten rid of a few bad eggs. Again, FSU turned to the transfer portal to fill holes, but maybe not as haphazardly as they did a year ago. It appears that Florida State will have 8 new transfers as starters on offense and 5 on defense.

Win Total Odds Per FanDuel

Over 7.5 Wins +172 (bet $100 to win $172)
Under 7.5 Wins -215 (bet $215 to win $100)

Does 7.5 look high for a team that won one FBS game a season ago?

2025 FLORIDA STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE:

The Seminoles face the top two ACC teams in Miami and Clemson, but miss out on the next four contenders in the conference in Louisville, SMU, Georgia Tech, and Duke.

Sat, Aug 30 vs Alabama – L – Bama favored by 12.5
Sat, Aug 6 vs East Texas A&M – W – There is an EAST Texas A&M?? What the fresh hell is that?
Sat, Aug 13 bye
Sat, Sep 20 vs Kent State – W – It’ll be a massacre (too soon?)
Fri, Sep 26 @ Virginia – W – could be trouble since it is on the road
Sat, Oct 4 vs Miami – L – Noles get the Canes at home but Mia is too strong
Sat, Oct 11 vs Pitt – W – bad team
Sat, Oct 18 @ Stanford – W – godawful team
Sat, Oct 25 bye
Sat, Nov 1 vs Wake Forest – W – pretty bad too
Sat, Nov 8 @ Clemson – L
Sat, Nov 15 vs Virginia Tech – W – home field advantage
Fri, Nov 21 @ NC State – W – Possible toss up
Sat, Nov 29 @ Florida – L

8-4 sounds crazy, huh? 7-5 sounds more likely. There surely must be one or two games they screw up. Thanks to a weak ACC, FSU should have a winning season or 6-6 at the very least. Things could go sideways vs UVa, Va Tech, and at NC State (can you imagine being worried about games like that? Must be nice). The Semis have the athletes and Norvell has proved he can win in Tallahassee. He probably just relied too much on the transfer-mania that went on before last season. First, they will need to rebuild the culture and that starts at quarterback.

UPCOMING ALABAMA SCHEDULE PREVIEWS:

#NoCupcakes

Sat, Aug 30 @ Florida State
Sat, Sep 6 vs UL Monroe
Sat, Sep 13 vs Wisconsin
Sat, Sep 27 @ Georgia
Sat, Oct 4 vs Vanderbilt
Sat, Oct 11 @ Missouri
Sat, Oct 18 vs Tennessee
Sat, Oct 25 @ South Carolina
Sat, Nov 8 vs LSU
Sat, Nov 15 vs Oklahoma
Sat, Nov 22 vs Eastern Illinois
Sat, Nov 29 @ Auburn