Alabama got the victory we expected, but nobody expected quite this much offense.
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Predicted Score: Alabama 34, Florida State 17
Actual Score: Alabama 50, Florida State 36
The Crimson Tide defeated Florida State 50-36 in Tuscaloosa in a game that produced 1,038 combined yards.
Florida State came out swinging. The Seminoles led 14-3 after the first quarter and stretched the advantage to 21-6 in the second. For a while, Alabama appeared in genuine trouble.
Then Keelon Russell and the Crimson Tide offense caught fire.
Russell completed 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He also rushed for 56 yards and a score, including a spectacular 57-yard touchdown run. Alabama piled up 567 total yards and averaged 8.6 yards per play.
Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels produced enormous yardage — 377 passing yards and two touchdowns — but his three interceptions became the defining difference. Alabama did not commit a turnover.
The Tide erased the early deficit with 23 second-quarter points and took a 26-21 lead into halftime. Florida State briefly regained the lead at 28-26 early in the third, but Alabama answered with two touchdowns and steadily pulled away.
Trae’shawn Brown rushed for 86 yards and scored the clinching touchdown with just over two minutes remaining. Lotzeir Brooks led Alabama receivers with 101 yards.
The original prediction expected Alabama’s defense to keep Florida State around 17 points. That clearly didn’t happen. The Seminoles proved capable of generating explosive plays throughout the afternoon.
But Alabama’s offense was even better. The Tide scored 16 more points than projected and showed that Russell can carry a game when necessary. The 50-36 result wasn’t particularly tidy, but offensively it was one of Alabama’s most impressive performances of the young season.
