Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Squirrel White (4) makes a catch against Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Dijon Lee Jr. (5) during the first half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.

With one team reeling from a disastrous 2-10 season and another looking to come back from its fewest wins in a season in nearly 20 years, either Florida State or Alabama was going to leave its 2025 season opener feeling a special kind of anxiety.

Unfortunately for the Crimson Tide, that burden will fall on them.

A revamped Seminoles program, with two new coordinators and a new quarterback in Tommy Castellanos, had its way with Alabama, running for 230 yards and regularly stifling the Crimson Tide offense in a 31-17 victory on Aug. 30 at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.

It snapped a streak of 23 consecutive season-opening wins for Alabama and it marked the Crimson Tide’s first non-conference loss to an unranked opponent since it fell to Louisiana-Monroe all the way back in 2007, the first season of Nick Saban's legendary 17-year tenure.

Castellanos orchestrated a productive Florida State offense, accounting for 230 yards and a touchdown. The Seminoles’ defense, under first-year coordinator Tony White, held Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer’s offense to only 74 rushing yards (2.6 per carry).

USA TODAY brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game:

Alabama vs Florida State highlights

Alabama vs Florida State score

This section will be updated throughout the game

Team 1 2 3 4 F
Alabama 7 0 3 7 17
Florida St 7 10 7 7 31

Alabama vs Florida State live updates

Final: Florida State 31, Alabama 17

Florida State upsets Alabama

If Florida State was hoping for different results after a miserable 2024 season, it got them, at least in its first game of 2025.

Behind a new quarterback and two new coordinators, the Seminoles knock off Alabama 31-17 in a game they controlled for much of the afternoon. An offense led by new quarterback Tommy Castellanos and offensive coordiantor Gus Malzahn averages 6.1 yards per play against what was expected to be a formidable Crimson Tide defense.

Alabama fails on fourth-down conversion

The Crimson Tide's path to pulling off a comeback win is getting narrower and narrower. Despite an extraordinary effort from Ty Simpson to avoid a sack, the Alabama quarterback's spirited scramble is stopped a few inches short of the marker on a fourth-and-10 from the Alabama 42-yard line.

Florida State takes over with 5:55 remaining. The Tide have just one timeout left, though there's also the built-in two-minute timeout.

Ryan Williams down after big hit

Alabama's star wide receiver is down on the field and being looked at by team trainers after being hit near the head by Earl Little Jr. after dropping a pass from Ty Simpson. Little is initially flagged for targeting, but upon review, the call is overturned.

Williams is able to walk off the field, but is being taken to the locker room.

Gavin Sawchuk TD doubles Florida State's lead

With its once commanding lead down to a single score, Florida State responds. Following the Alabama touchdown, the Seminoles go on a 10-play, 75-yard drive, with a Micahi Danzy 26-yard run getting them into the red zone. Once there, Gavin Sawchuk rumbles through the Alabama defense, keeps his legs moving and gets a little push from his offensive line for the final few yards to get into the end zone with a 14-yard touchdown.

Florida State leads 31-17 with 7:17 remaining.

Alabama TD gets it within one score vs Florida State

An Alabama team that looked to be on the verge of getting blown out is now down only seven points.

Ty Simpson finishes off a 63-yard Crimson Tide drive on a beautifully executed zone read, with much of the Florida State defense biting on what appeared to be a handoff, only for Simpson to pull the ball out and hit Rico Scott, who fights through a couple of attempted tackles and sneaks into the end zone.

Alabama trails 24-17 with 11 minutes remaining.

Edwin Joseph injured for Florida State

Following a successful third-and-1 conversion for Alabama, Florida State defensive back Edwin Joseph remains down on the field and is being tended to by team trainers.

The Crimson Tide have a first down at the Seminoles' 18-yard line trailing 24-10 with 11:56 remaining.

Florida State forced to punt

After forcing the turnover on downs, the Seminoles go three-and-out. A 42-yard punt is fair caught and sets Alabama up at its own 37-yard line with 14:16 remaining in the game.

End of third quarter: Florida State 24, Alabama 10

Alabama turns it over on downs

Alabama isn't able to capitalize on the Florida State muffed punt. Facing a fourth-and-7 from the Florida State 28-yard line, Ty Simpson is flushed from the pocket and tries to connect with Ryan Williams for what would have been a first down, but the ball bounces off the turf before it can get to Williams' hands.

Florida State fumbles punt

Alabama is yet again forced to punt, but after taking a bounce, the ball ricochets off Florida State returner Jaylin Lucas and the Crimson Tide pounce on the ball. They'll take over at the Florida State 46-yard line, with some much-needed new life.

Alabama FG cuts into deficit vs Florida State

Since their opening drive of the game, the Crimson Tide have come away with points. Though they stalled out after getting as far as the Florida State 15-yard line, they get a 40-yard Conor Talty field goal to trim their deficit to 24-10 with 5:59 remaining in the third quarter.

The MVP of the drive just might go to Alabama center Parker Brailsford, who scooped up a Ty Simpson fumble on 3rd-and-15 at the Florida State 35 and ran it 13 yards to the 22, giving his team a manageable field goal.

Ryan Williams returns for Alabama

A few plays after limping off the field, Ryan Williams returns for Alabama and makes an immediate impact. On a 4th-and-8 from the Florida State 25-yard line, Williams draws a holding penalty that keeps the Tide's drive alive.

Ryan Williams limps off field for Alabama

Not only is Alabama trailing by 17 points in its season opener, but its best offensive player is showing some visible signs of pain. After bobbling a pass from Ty Simpson, Tide sophomore wide receiver Ryan Williams was shown limping off the field and hasn't immediately returned to action.

Alabama turnover on downs leads to Florida State TD

Alabama looked to finally be getting some traction offensively, driving down to the Florida State 36-yard line. From there, though, the possession stalls out and on a 4th-and-5, Kevin Riley catches a poorly thrown Ty Simpson pass and is taken down inches short of the marker.

The following play, Tommy Castellanos connects with Jaylin Lucas for a 64-yard completion all the way to the Alabama 4-yard line. Right after that, Caziah Holmes gets to the edge and into the end zone, extending the Seminoles' lead to 24-7 with 9:45 remaining.

Florida State punts to open up second half

At long last for Alabama, it has forced Florida State to punt. The Seminoles go three-and-out on the opening drive of the second half and punt for the first time. The Tide will take over at their 29-yard line with 12:19 left in the third quarter.

Alabama vs Florida State halftime stats

Here's a look at some of the key stats with Florida State leading No. 8 Alabama 17-7 at halftime:

  • Total yards: Florida State 207, Alabama 148
  • Yards per play: Florida State 7.4, Alabama 4.5
  • Passing yards: Alabama 87, Florida State 81
  • Rushing yards: Florida State 126, Alabama 61
  • Yards per rush: Florida State 6.3, Alabama 3.2
  • Tackles for loss: Florida State 3, Alabama 0

Halftime: Florida State 17, Alabama 7

Alabama trailing Florida State at halftime

Its 17-7 deficit against Florida State marks the first time Alabama has trailed at halftime of its season opener since 2009. There's a silver lining for the Tide, though: not only did they come back to win that game against Virginia Tech 16 years ago, but they went on to win the program's first of its six national championships under Nick Saban that season.

Florida State runs out the clock, goes into halftime up 10

The Seminoles opt to play it safe, keeping the ball on the ground and not getting past their own 35-yard line. After a botched snap is recovered with about 30 seconds left, Florida State opts not to take any further chances and heads right to the locker room with a 17-7 lead.

The Seminoles will get the ball to start the second half.

Alabama punts

Already armed with a 10-point lead, Florida State has the chance to head into halftime with an even bigger advantage. The Seminoles force an Alabama punt and, after a touchback, get the ball back on their own 20-yard line with 1:35 remaining in the half.

Considering the downpour in Tallahassee and the fact Florida State gets the ball first in the second half, Mike Norvell may opt to play it more conservatively and not risk a turnover.

Florida State extends lead over Alabama with FG

Florida State mounts another scoring drive, with Tommy Castellanos and the Seminoles driving down to the Alabama 27-yard line before a Castellanos incompletion on 3rd-and-4. Still, Florida State's able to get points out of it, with Jake Weinberg connecting on a 45-yard field goal to push his team's lead to 17-7 with 3:47 remaining in the first half.

Micahi Danzy TD run puts Florida State ahead of Alabama

And just like that, Florida State takes the lead. A pair of third-down conversions kept the Seminoles' second drive of the game alive and Micahi Danzy gives his team a much-needed big play, bursting through the heart of the Alabama defense for a 32-yard touchdown run that gives Florida State a 14-7 lead with 9:19 left in the third quarter.

Alabama misses long FG attempt

After scoring a touchdown its first time with the ball, Alabama comes up empty-handed on its second possession. The Tide get down to the Florida State 29-yard line, but Ty Simpson is sacked for a 6-yard loss on a 3rd-and-13. Alabama's Conor Talty is then well short on a 53-yard field goal attempt, keeping things level early in the second quarter.

End of first quarter: Alabama 7, Florida State 7

Tommy Castellanos, Florida State even things up with TD

Florida State answers quickly and decisively after the Alabama opening-drive touchdown, with the Seminoles going 75 yards on just seven plays, with Tommy Castellanos punctuating it with a 9-yard touchdown scamper. The scoring play was preceded by a 40-yard bomb from Castellanos to Tennessee transfer Squirrel White.

It's 7-7 with about three minutes left in the first quarter.

Ty Simpson TD gets Alabama on the board

Ty Simpson's first drive as Alabama's full-time starting quarterback goes about as well as it could have. The Crimson Tide go 75 yards in 16 plays, including a key fourth-down conversion at the Florida State 48-yard line, capped off by a 2-yard touchdown toss from Simpson to Josh Cuevas.

Alabama with a 7-0 lead with 6:10 remaining in the first quarter.

Alabama vs Florida State updated channel

Despite the excruciatingly long Tennessee-Syracuse game preceding it, Alabama and Florida State will be aired in its entirety on ABC. The final minutes of the nearly four-hour matchup between the Orange and Vols have been moved to ESPNews.

Alabama jerseys vs Florida State

It's no surprise, but Alabama will be going with its traditional road look today against Florida State, with white jerseys and pants with crimson helmets.

Alabama-Florida State new kickoff time

With 11:24 still remaining in Tennessee's matchup against Syracuse, the game preceding the Crimson Tide and Seminoles, Alabama and Florida State's kickoff has been pushed back from 3:30 p.m. ET to 3:50 p.m.

Florida State jerseys

Florida State will don its classic gold-garnet-gold garb its opener against Alabama at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Alabama football depth chart

Here's a look at Alabama's depth chart vs Florida State for their Aug. 30 matchup.

What time does Alabama vs Florida State start?

  • Date: Saturday, August 30
  • Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Doak Campbell Stadium (Tallahassee, Florida)

What channel is Alabama vs Florida State on today?

  • TV: ABC
  • Streaming: ESPN App ∣ ESPN+ ∣ Fubo (free trial)

Alabama vs Florida State predictions

  • Colin Gay, Tuscaloosa News: Alabama 31, Florida State 17New quarterback and new offensive coordinator on a big stage starts Alabama football's 2025 season. Expect some bumps along the way, but, especially with a defense in the second year under Wommack's tutelage, Alabama should be able to make a statement in Week 1.
  • Liam Rooney, Tallahassee Democrat: Alabama 34, Florida State 17I think this game will be closer than many expect in the first half as the Seminoles get a home crowd boost at the newly renovated Doak Campbell Stadium, and Alabama's Simpson takes a few drives to settle in. However, the Tide pull away in the second half with the trio of star receivers making impact plays.

Alabama vs Florida State injury updates

  • Alabama running back Jam Miller, the Crimson Tide's leading rusher last season, will miss the game after suffering an upper-body injury earlier this month.
  • Alabama defensive tackle Tim Keenan III will "probably not" be ready for the season opener due to a lower-body injury he sustained in practice this week, coach Kalen DeBoer said on August 27.

Who is starting for Alabama at quarterback?

Ty Simpson will be Alabama's starting quarterback heading into the 2025 season. He's taking over for Jalen Milroe, the Tide's starter each of the past two seasons who is now in his rookie season with the Seattle Seahawks.

Who is starting for Florida State at quarterback?

After last season's disastrous 2-10 run, Florida State went out and got a new quarterback, adding Boston College transfer Thomas Castellanos. Castellanos threw for 3,614 yards, 33 touchdowns and 19 touchdowns the past two seasons with the Eagles, along with 1,307 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.

Alabama schedule 2025

Here's the Crimson Tide's full 2025 schedule and results:

  • Saturday, August 30: at Florida State
  • Saturday, September 6: vs. Louisiana-Monroe
  • Saturday, September 13: vs. Wisconsin
  • Saturday, September 27: at No. 4 Georgia
  • Saturday, October 4: vs. Vanderbilt
  • Saturday, October 11: at Missouri
  • Saturday, October 18: vs. No. 18 Tennessee
  • Saturday, October 25: at No. 13 South Carolina
  • Saturday, November 8: vs. No. 9 LSU
  • Saturday, November 15: vs. Oklahoma
  • Saturday, November 22: vs. Eastern Illinois
  • Saturday, November 29: at Auburn

Florida State schedule 2025

Here's the Seminoles' full 2025 schedule and results:

  • Saturday, August 30: vs. No. 8 Alabama
  • Saturday, September 6: vs. East Texas A&M
  • Saturday, September 20: vs. Kent State
  • Friday, September 26: at Virginia
  • Saturday, October 4: vs. No. 10 Miami
  • Saturday, October 11: at Pitt
  • Saturday, October 18: at Stanford
  • Saturday, November 1: vs. Wake Forest
  • Saturday, November 8: at No. 6 Clemson
  • Saturday, November 15: vs. Virginia Tech
  • Friday, November 21: at NC State
  • Saturday, November 29: at No. 17 Florida

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama football vs Florida State highlights: Seminoles upset Crimson Tide in Week 1 game

Reporting by Craig Meyer, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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