Turns out the Florida State QB’s mocked June confidence didn’t go far enough — a point proven with a flaming spear Saturday in Tallahassee.
The laughingstock of the 2024 college football season punked an Alabama program Saturday that never felt further from the Saban reign.
A Seminole team that went 2-10 last year ran over and through Alabama, threw it in reverse and steamrolled this shellshocked Crimson Tide team again.
“Disrespect will be addressed,” was the coordinated response from Alabama players every time they were asked about Castellanos’ cocky prediction.
Please.
All the talk about Alabama turning the page on a disappointing four-loss effort in the first post-Saban fall washed away in the Tallahassee cloudburst.
This team looked soft and unsure of itself when the offseason talking points assured that last year was a blip. Year two under Kalen DeBoer would be different due to the continuity of a traditional offseason, paired with a talented roster.
Alabama has the best players in the nation, if you believe the 247Sports team talent index published last week.
That begs an obvious question and we’ll get to that eventually. But let’s marinate in the embarrassment of Alabama’s unraveling in Florida State.
The Seminoles became the fourth of five teams that beat DeBoer-coached Tide teams after kicking off as double-digit underdogs.
Perhaps the most telling moment came in the halftime interviews for DeBoer.
“We’re a little hesitant on defense right now,” he said, staring down a 17-7 deficit.
That’s a continent from the make-their-ass-quit Saban days.
New FSU OC Gus Malzahn put defensive coordinator Kane Wommack’s crew in a blender with the cocky QB who transferred in from Boston College.
Castellanos had a Jackson Arnold-like stat line while completing 9 of 14 passes for 152 yards. He also ran it for 78 yards on 16 carries as the Alabama pass rush that struggled last year got worse Saturday.
This used to be a Tide defense that owned the trenches.
Never got pushed around.
This group didn’t get a tackle for loss until the final minute of the third quarter.
Another telling moment: Former Tide running back Roydell Williams (5-10, 223-pound) fourth-quarter reunion with All-SEC LB Deontae Lawson. FSU led by just a touchdown its own 34-yard line when the Noles opted to go for it. That alone showed how unconcerned FSU was with the Alabama front line.
Williams’ 4-yard run in which he steamrolled Lawson in the hole to effectively finish Alabama.
Castellanos made a play practically every time Florida State needed one. He was sacked just once in a performance similar to Arnold’s 9-completion, 131-rushing-yard night when Alabama was mauled at 13.5-point underdog Oklahoma. He is, of course, at Auburn now.
But Alabama’s offensive output is also why Saturday’s loss was worse than the 24-3 upset last November in Norman. That one was a gross display of turnovers on one-off moments.
On Saturday, the Tide offense looked just as confused as the defense for large stretches. Ty Simpson looked overwhelmed at times by the moment as the former five-star recruit made his first start in Year 4.
The Tide committed no turnovers in Tallahassee and recorded a respectable 341 yards to FSU’s 382. But it choked in big moments. A muffed punt at the FSU 46 late in the third quarter yielded no points.
All-American receiver Ryan Williams had just 30 receiving yards in five catches.
We say all of this while acknowledging how well this started for the visiting offense. Alabama went old-school with a 75-yard march that took 8:50 off the clock by running it on 12 of the 16 snaps for 55 yards. Simpson looked confident completing 3 of 4 passes.
So, 55 rushing yards on Drive 1. Well, Alabama finished with just 87 total as FSU scored the next 24 points with the Malzahn voodoo that bruised even Saban’s best defenses.
But the trench was lost on the offensive side of the ball, too, as FSU finished with seven tackles for loss with three sacks. Simpson was hurried five times, according to the official stats, but he was running for his life what felt like all afternoon.
Where FSU felt like it was playing offense on hardwood for long stretches, Alabama was in quicksand. The big-play threat was missing. Of the three passing plays of 20-plus yards, only one was thrown downfield.
Simpson finished 23-for-43 for 254 passing yards and two short touchdown passes. He had a few gutty escapes from free pass rushers but there was something missing from an offense stacked with receiving talent.
The timing was brutal after watching former Alabama enrollee Julian Sayin lead Ohio State past No. 1 Texas earlier Saturday.
It was bad all around.
The promises of a confident, prepared Alabama program ready to prove a point in year two post-Saban, were a sham.
Alabama was more Shula than Saban in a scene that’s losing its shock value.
A new low that can’t be ignored.
