2026 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 3: Florida State

After finishing 13-1 in 2023, it appeared that Florida State football was back. But after 10 players were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Seminoles followed their best season in a decade with their worst since 1974, ending with a 2-10 record.

But FSU completely revamped its roster that offseason, and the 2025 team had initially some confidence to it, led by Boston College transfer quarterback Tommy Castellanos. However, head coach Mike Norvell and company would have to make an immediate statement, as it was set to host Alabama in Week 1.

Castellanos talked some smack in the months leading up to the matchup, and he backed it up by leading the Seminoles to a massive 31-17 upset over the Crimson Tide on Aug. 30 of this past year. FSU proceeded to win its next two games over East Texas A&M and Kent State by a combined score of 143-13 and earned the No. 7 spot in the AP Top 25.

That said, the magical start would end the next week with a road overtime loss to Virginia. This created a downward spiral, as the Seminoles only tallied two wins the rest of the season. Despite beating Alabama, the momentum didn't carry over nearly enough, as FSU wasn't even bowl eligible with a 5-7 final record.

Every year, there are coaches on the hot seat, and Norvell is definitely in danger of losing his job if Florida State has a third straight poor season. Here's a look at the roster he'll be working with during the 2026 season.

Offense

Castellanos' collegiate eligibility exhausted at the end of the last season, and Ashton Daniels was named FSU's next starting QB back in April. Daniels is a familiar name to Alabama, as he threw for 259 yards, a touchdown and an interception, plus logged 108 rushing yards on 23 carries in last year's Iron Bowl for Auburn. Daniels played in four games for Auburn in 2025, logging 797 passing yards and 280 rushing yards, after spending the previous three seasons at Stanford, the latter two as a starter.

The Seminoles could have a 1A-1B scenario at running back between Texas transfer Quintrevion Wisner and sophomore Ousmane Kromah. After adding over 1,000 yards on the ground in 2024, Wisner went from 226 carries to 131 in 2025, as Texas used multiple carriers, including 91 from quarterback Arch Manning.

Like Texas, FSU had a handful of rushers, but then-freshman Kromah turned out a very impressive 408 yards on 72 carries (5.7 yards per carry) — and those that were ahead of him last year are now gone.

The top two wide receiver spots are easy choices, as Duce Robinson (56 receptions, 1,081 yards and six touchdowns) and Micahi Danzy (27-571-3) also led the Seminoles in receiving last season. They're very explosive, with Robinson averaging 19.3 yards per reception and Danzy with an ACC-best 21.1.

Fellow returner Jayvan Boggs is expected to line up in the slot after putting together 103 yards and a score on nine catches as a freshman, while Desirrio Riles will all but certainly start in an inexperienced tight end room after totaling 28-362-2 last year at East Carolina.

Unlike the receiver core, the offensive line couldn't look much different from last season. André Otto, who is expected to take one of the guard spots, only took 79 offensive snaps and mostly played special teams. Like Daniels, offensive tackle Xavier Chaplin is another familiar name to Alabama after starting all 12 games for Auburn in 2025.

Bowling Green transfer and All-MAC Second Team member Nate Pabst will likely take the other guard spot, while Stephen F. Austin transfer and All-Southland First Team selection Chimdia Nwaiwu has a good chance as a starting tackle. Center could be a competition between Purdue transfer Bradyn Welch-Joiner, who started in each of his games last season, and Chavez Thompson, who redshirted after four games and 68 center snaps as a freshman at FSU.

Defense

Florida State runs a 3-3-5 defense, and it starts with a pair of twin edge rushers named Mandrell and Darryll Desir. Mandrell made two starts in 12 games last season as a true freshman, and he recorded 30 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks with a forced fumble plus a pass breakup. Darryll notched 23 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and a sack in the same number of games played and started.

Daniel Lyons, one of the handful of returning defensive starters who had 26 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble in 2025, will control the interior. When FSU gets out of its typical formation and adds a fourth defensive lineman, Texas A&M transfer Rylan Kennedy, who contributed 40 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four pass breakups, will be the primary JACK linebacker.

Southern Miss transfer linebacker Chris Jones is perhaps the No. 1 newcomer on Norvell's roster. He logged 134 total tackles — the seventh most in the country — including 9.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception.

There are numerous candidates for the other two linebacker spots, but returner Omar Graham Jr., who played in 12 contests with five starts and accounted for 38 tackles and one pass breakup, is a very strong starting candidate. The same is said for fellow returner Blake Nichelson, who started the final six games of the season, recorded 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

The defensive backs room will be led by cornerback Ja'Bril Rawls, as he started in all seven of his games played, and contributed 40 tackles, including 2.0 for loss, two pass breakups, an interception and a fumble recovery. Nehemiah Chandler is the lead candidate for the other cornerback spot after posting 32 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, two interceptions and an absurd 13 pass breakups at South Alabama in 2025.

The Seminoles will have three safeties, including a Rover, which is a safety/linebacker hybrid — Alabama calls it the "Husky." Ashlynd Barker is the top candidate for this role after finishing second on the team with 48 tackles, including 5.0 for loss, 3.5 sacks and two pass breakups last season. Illinois State transfer CJ Richard Jr. and returner K.J. Kirkland are competing for one of the safety spots, while Duke transfer Ma'Khi Jones is expected to lock in the other.

Schedule

Florida State will open its season at home against New Mexico State, which finished 4-8 last season. The Seminoles will stay in Tallahassee for their next game on Monday, Sept. 7, but it'll be a much greater challenge against SMU, which went 9-4 in 2025. The result could impact how FSU plays in Tuscaloosa, however, it'll have a 12-day bye week leading up to the matchup.

Florida State will follow its road contest at Alabama with a home game against Central Arkansas, which is one of just three teams (Boston College and Florida) on the Seminoles' schedule that finished under .500 last season. Norvell and company will have some tough opponents this season.

This will be the second of three non-conference games that Alabama will play, with East Carolina (Sept. 5) and Chattanooga (Nov. 21) being the others. 2026 is the first season of the SEC's newly implemented 9-game conference schedule. In addition to the Pirates, UA will also face Kentucky on the road the week before it hosts FSU.

Outlook

Alabama will likely be a 13.5-point favorite in this matchup, which is the same spread as last year's upset in Tallahassee. Homefield advantage plays a massive role in college football, and it especially leans in the Tide's favor.

Alabama is 152-17 at home over the past 20 years, which ranks No. 1 in the country. All but one of DeBoer's eight losses at UA were on the road or in neutral territory, and it's unlikely that FSU has the firepower to shock the college football world in Tuscaloosa.

The Game

Date: Sept. 19

Time: 2:30 p.m. CT

TV: ABC

Location: Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Series history: Alabama leads 3-2-1, with the first matchup occurring on Oct. 23, 1965. Neither Alabama nor the Seminoles has won back-to-back games against each other. This year's meeting will be the first in Tuscaloosa since 1974.

Last meeting: Florida State upset Alabama 31-17 at Doak Campbell Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025, which was the Crimson Tide's first season-opening loss since 2001. It was Ty Simpson's first career start as Alabama's quarterback, and after a 17-play opening drive that ended in a touchdown, he and the rest of the offense went cold. Defensively, Alabama allowed 230 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 49 attempts. FSU quarterback Tommy Castellanos finished with 152 passing yards, 78 rushing yards and a score on the ground.

The Team

Coach: Mike Norvell, seventh season, 38-34 record

Offensive coordinator: Tim Harris Jr.

Defensive coordinator: Tony White

2025 record: 5-7 (2-6 ACC)

2025 rankings: Total offense (22nd), Total defense (43rd)

Returning Starters

6 (2 on offense, 4 on defense)

Players to Watch

QB Ashton Daniels, RB Quintrevion Wisner, WR Duce Robinson, DL Mandrell Desir, LB Chris Jones, CB Ja'Bril Rawls

Top Newcomer

There's a ton of intriguing newcomers, but linebacker Chris Jones is perhaps the top one, with running back Quintrevion Wisner as a close second. Jones transferred after two seasons at Southern Miss, with last year's being the standout campaign. He logged 134 total tackles — the seventh most in the country — 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception. The All-Sun Belt First Team selection had eight games with 10-plus tackles.

Biggest Question

Can Mike Norvell remove himself from the hot seat with this roster?

The School

Location: Tallahassee, Florida

Founded: 1851

Enrollment: 46,184

Nickname: Seminoles

Colors: Garnet and Gold

Mascot: Chief Osceola and his horse, Renegade

The Program

Last time beat Alabama: 2025

Last time won ACC: 2023

National championships: 3 (1993, 1999, 2013)

Playoff Appearances: 1 (2014)

Conference championships: 19 (Dixie: 1948-50; ACC: 1992-2000, 2002-03, 2005, 2012-14, 2023)

Bowl record (last appearance): 28-17-2 (lost Orange Bowl in 2023)

Last season missed bowl: 2026

Heisman trophies: 3 (Charlie Ward - 1993, Chris Weinke - 2000, Jameis Winston - 2013)

2026 NFL Draft:

DT Darrell Jackson Jr. (Round 4, Pick 103 – New York Jets)

Last Four Recruiting Class Rankings

No. 16 (2026), No. 20 (2025), No. 12 (2024), No. 19 (2023)

The Schedule

This is the third story in BamaCentral's summer preview series of all 12 regular-season opponents for Alabama football in 2025. Ensuing stories will be published throughout June and early July.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Threads and Blue Sky for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google