TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Florida State’s 36 points should have been sufficient and perhaps could have been enough to upset No. 10 Alabama.
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The Crimson Tide had just 27 rushing yards at the half before finishing with 247 yards on the ground in the 50-36 win over FSU on Saturday. The Seminoles have now lost 10 consecutive road games, while the Crimson Tide have won 90 straight home games against unranked opponents.
“They battled, played really hard,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said. “Just unfortunately not enough plays to come out victorious.”
That’s become a familiar refrain from Norvell after losses, whether the final margin was close or not. FSU, however, keeps coming up short on the road and is 4-18 vs. Power Four teams since the start of the 2024 season.
FSU (1-2) led multiple times early in the game that started late because of severe weather delays and was halted in the second quarter because of the weather. In a week that saw athletic director Michael Alford lose his job, the Seminoles came out fired up and looking for an upset. They just couldn’t sustain their level of play against the Tide.
Here are five takeaways for FSU, which gets a breather against FCS Central Arkansas (2-2) on Saturday in Tallahassee. After that, the ‘Noles face three straight ranked ACC teams (Virginia, Louisville and Miami):
Daniels’ successes, failures
There were enough positives from Ashton Daniels’ performance, where he threw for 377 yards and two touchdowns while also running for two touchdowns. But then there are the three interceptions, which Alabama turned into 10 points. Daniels now has 26 interceptions in 26 starts between Stanford, Auburn and FSU.
“Can’t throw three picks. That’s the end of the story,” Daniels said. “That’s a non-negotiable, especially when you play a team that good.”
Daniels looked sharp early, running FSU’s scripted plays and making quick decisions before regressing and holding the ball too long as the game unfolded. He also didn’t throw the ball away enough and took three sacks.
Connection between Daniels, Robinson
Duce Robinson had just five catches for 75 yards going into the Alabama game. He was targeted early against Alabama, and Robinson had six catches (on eight targets) for 135 yards. Robinson had a 40-yard reception and a 20-yard touchdown, his first of the season, in the opening quarter.
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“We have a great relationship, great connection and we’re going to continue to build on that for the rest of the year,” Daniels said.
FSU’s rush defense is suspect
A major preseason storyline was how FSU’s lighter defensive front would defend the run. Defensive coordinator Tony White expressed confidence in the group in camp, but the Seminoles are lacking a deep rotation of bigger bodies up front to contain the run for 60 minutes.
Alabama has an improved run game compared to 2025. But the schedule is daunting as Virginia, Louisville and Miami are among the top 40 rush offenses.
“The last two teams we played are top offenses,” Norvell said. “But, no, we have got to be able to get off the field.”
FSU’s run game needs to regroup
Ousmane Kromah had 17 carries for 80 yards, and Alabama’s front swarmed him to make the sophomore tailback earn his yards. He had a 27-yard run and a 12-yard touchdown run.
But another tailback, Samuel Singleton Jr., was seen on the sideline on crutches late in the game. Norvell didn’t have an update on Singleton’s status, but he was tackled from behind on a 65-yard catch and run and could have been injured on the play.
Are there in-season personnel fixes?
Norvell has an opportunity to evaluate freshmen and younger players this week in practice and use some of them this week against Central Arkansas, his alma mater. Does he make personnel moves or attempt to play more backups?
FSU has not used quarterback Malachi Marshall, who was considered the top junior-college passer in 2025. Should Marshall play a half against Central Arkansas?
Similarly, are there freshmen or second-year players who have earned more playing time on the defensive front? The Seminoles need to strengthen the rotation of defensive linemen for the thick of the ACC schedule.
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