The first weekend of college football is in the books, and with it came an early upset. Unranked Florida State stunned No. 8 Alabama 31-17 at home, leaving those in Tallahassee celebrating through the night while fans in Tuscaloosa were left with their jaws hanging.
The Week 1 matchup may have completely shifted the trajectory of both teams this season, particularly the Seminoles. The AP Poll thought highly enough of Florida State’s victory to award them the No. 14 ranking in this week’s poll. Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide tumbled 13 spots down to No. 21.
Florida State catapulting into the top 15 is certainly eyebrow-raising. Then again, early-season polls are often criticized, with little evidence to judge teams after just one game.
Still, it has to be said that Florida State’s dramatic rise — whether it came against perennial power Alabama or not — feels premature and overrated.
Is Alabama good?
When upsets like the one in Week 1 between Florida State and Alabama happen, the question becomes: Is Florida State that good, or is Alabama that bad?
It’s simply too early to tell. At first glance, though, the perception is the Seminoles are really good and the Crimson Tide are really bad. But the results are still no doubt stunning to most.
“I had no inclination that that FSU result was even possible,” Josh Pate said, while on the Pat McAfee Show.
Look at the rest of the Week 1 slate — even going back to Week Zero. Teams often found themselves starting off slow and sloppy, making critical errors. That’s why programs usually schedule cupcake games early in the season to work out the kinks as a sort of preseason warmup.
This was, however, a loaded Week 1 that featured multiple matchups between top-10 opponents. Alabama-Florida State wasn’t one of those, but it still featured two traditional powerhouse programs from the Power Four conferences.
That said, both of these teams could look completely different by season’s end.
Florida State still has a lot to prove
Coming off a 2-10 season last year, becoming the first team in ACC history to finish 17th in the conference, can’t be overlooked. Beating a team like Alabama — the same program that helped keep the Seminoles out of the College Football Playoff two years ago — does help erase some of last season’s painful memories.
Still, last year’s debacle was one of the worst in Florida State football history. That team started in the top 10, then quickly fell out of the rankings altogether. Now, after one game, they’re suddenly a top-15 team?
Yes, beating No. 8 Alabama is a big deal. Maybe it’s good enough to get into the top 25, but the top 15 feels a bit dramatic. Only one other team cracked this week’s top 15 without a preseason ranking — No. 25 Utah, which demolished UCLA in Week 1.
It’s not just Florida State that has to prove itself. Head coach Mike Norvell does, too. This is his sixth season in Tallahassee, and he’s produced only two winning campaigns.
Are these Florida State transfers the real deal?
Mike Norvell has overhauled Florida State’s roster in a major way over the last three seasons. The results have been mixed. In 2023, a season-ending injury to Jordan Travis derailed what could have been a magical run, keeping the Seminoles out of the College Football Playoff despite going undefeated and winning the ACC.
Last year told a different story. Florida State’s multimillion-dollar roster didn’t live up to its price tag, nor to its 247Sports ranking as the seventh-best transfer portal class.
This year, the Seminoles did one better, bringing in the No. 6 class with 23 new transfers compared to 17 the year before. Even after just one game, quarterback Thomas Castellanos already looks more impressive than D.J. Uiagalelei did last season. Still, make no mistake — he’ll be judged week to week, as Seminoles fans may still find themselves hesitant to fully believe in another transfer signal-caller.
Florida State won't face next big test until October
Florida State can ride the high of its Alabama victory for nearly a month before facing another notable opponent. The Seminoles’ next two games are against East Texas A&M, an FCS program that has won just six games over the last three years, and Kent State. After that, ACC play begins with a road trip to Virginia.
The real test will come when Florida State hosts No. 5 Miami. That game could mark the first truly meaningful meeting in this historic rivalry in years, potentially as a top-15 matchup — or even top 10 if the right teams stumble along the way.
Given that rankings often serve as little more than a ratings boost for networks, don’t be surprised if that’s how it plays out, provided both teams take care of business before then. But that will be the moment, and likely the only one, when we see what Florida State is truly made of — and whether its No. 14 ranking is deserved or just another case of early-season overhype.
