Florida State football turned to Tommy Castellanos to reignite a team that finished 2-10 in 2024, and the quarterback wasted no time making an impact. In his Seminoles debut, the Boston College transfer immediately showcased his dual-threat abilities against No. 8 Alabama, leading FSU to a shocking 31-17 upset in Tallahassee.
The Seminoles student body had barely started celebrating on the new Doak Campbell Stadium turf when Castellanos gave his first words after the victory.
“It’s a blessing,” Castellanos told ABC as fans surrounded him in jubilation, according to David Wasson of Saturday Down South. “Thankful to be here. Thankful for the opportunity. Thank God and thank coach [Mike] Norvell the opportunity to let me be here and choosing me. They could’ve chosen a lot of guys out of the portal. They chose me. They believed in me. I’m just thankful to be here.”
Tommy Castellanos backs up trash talk vs. Alabama
It was a moment of validation after weeks of bold talk from the 5-foot-11 quarterback, who had promised all summer that Alabama's defense would struggle without Nick Saban on the sidelines. Castellanos then backed up his words, finishing with 154 passing yards and a touchdown while adding a team-high 78 yards on the ground. His ability to extend plays and keep the Crimson Tide off balance gave Florida State exactly the spark it needed.
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer admitted postgame that his team struggled to contain the quarterback in space, citing missed tackles and poor leverage as key factors. Florida State, meanwhile, finished with 230 rushing yards and a balanced offensive attack that gave new life to a program that had hit rock bottom just one year earlier.
The win was also a showcase for new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, who orchestrated a 382-yard performance against one of the SEC's most respected defenses. Malzahn, a longtime rival of Alabama from his Auburn days, went viral after the game for trolling the Tide on X, formerly Twitter, writing “Felt like old times tonight!!”; a reminder that his history against Alabama continues to haunt the program.
For Castellanos, though, the night was about seizing his moment. Once viewed as a castoff, he quickly became the face of FSU's resurgence. His composure, leadership, and ability to deliver in big moments turned a bold summer prediction into a season-defining victory.
