Bama stunned by FSU in opening game rout 31 to 17

August 30, 2025 – TALLAHASSEE, FL – The University of Alabama Crimson Tide went to Florida as the number eight team in the country, then reality hit them in the mouth. Florida State proved far too much for Alabama to handle in a 31 to 17 game that never felt like it was that close.

Coach Kalen DeBoer had some stellar moments in his first year in Tuscaloosa but ultimately fell short of Tide fans' lofty expectations finishing 9 and 4 and out of the playoffs. Saturday was even more deflating for Tide fans.

Star quarterback Jalen Milroe left Tuscaloosa in the offseason to plie his talents in the NFL. This created a dilemma for DeBoer: Go into the transfer portal and get into a bidding war for one of the dozen or so top tier transferring quarterbacks or risk everything on elevating Milroe's backup – Ty Simpson. DeBoer gambled on Simpson and Saturday's first start for Simpson did not impress. Simpson avoided the big turnovers, but drive after drive ended with Simpson unable to make the big play necessary to move the sticks and keep the drive alive.

Bama looked great on the opening drive. They mixed the run with the pass and methodically drove down the field relying on their size advantage over the FSU defenders capping off the drive with a Simpson touchdown pass (the first of his college career) to tight end Josh Cuevos.

After Bama jumped out to that 7 to 0 lead – Florida State took over the game. Gus Malzahn – the new offensive coordinator at FSU – looked like an offensive wizard as his Seminoles put up 24 points on the Tide's very porous defense. Whatever NIL money Bama spent on that side of the ball looked misspent. Bama trailed 7 to 24 by the middle of the third quarter, Bama responded with a field goal late in the third quarter. The defense got a stop and Bama put together an impressive drive early in the fourth quarter capped off with a Simpson pass to wide receiver Rico Scott to pull within 7 17 to 24; but with their backs against the wall the Tide defense broke and Florida State responded to the Tide comeback with a methodical march down the field for a game clinching score 17 to 31.

The Tide gave it up on fourth down on their next (and final possession) while FSU drove the ball down into field goal range before mercifully running out the clock. Wide receiver Ryan Williams had a concussion from a late fourth quarter play. It is not known yet if he will be available next week.

Bama's outclassed defense gave up 240 yards – RUSHING!!

Simpson finished the day with 254 yards passing on the day with 23 completions on 43 attempts. He also took three sacks. Does DeBoer need to make a change at quarterback? Granted the defense is the Tide's most glaring weakness, but that is not an easy fix. Quarterbacks can be replaced. True freshman Keelon Russell is a five-star recruit from Duncanville, Texas. He's Alabama's highest-rated quarterback signee ever according to 247Sports, and has impressed coaches with his playmaking instincts. Simpson will almost certainly start next week, but if he struggles the Russel era at Bama could begin sooner rather than later.

Wide receiver Germie Bernard had a standout performance in the loss with 7 receptions for 145 yards to lead the Tide.

On Saturday, FSU looked like the teams that legendary Coach Bobby Bowden used to lead in his prime. Bama on the other hand looked nothing like the Tide teams that Nick Saban used to coach just two years ago.

Bama returns to Tuscaloosa next week to host Louisiana Monroe. Bama should is heavily favored, but they were 14 and a half point favorites this week so who knows? Bama gets Wisconsin after that.

Alabama is still undefeated in SEC play so they can still win the conference and an automatic bid to the 12 team playoff, but with Georgia in four weeks, Bama is going to have to get a whole lot better really fast or they could be playing for their playoff lives by the Time Vanderbilt and Diego Pavia comes to Tuscaloosa in the first week of October. Not even Bama can make the playoffs with three losses – DeBoer proved that last year.

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