The time has finally come. Florida State opens up the 2025 regular season this Saturday against nationally ranked Alabama at Doak Campbell Stadium. Alabama is coming off a rare down year, at least by their standards.
The Tide posted a 9-4 record in 2024, their first season without double-digit wins since 2007, which was also Nick Saban's inaugural season with the Tide. Falling one spot short of the College Football Playoff, Alabama will certainly look to come out of the gate hot this season.
Nonetheless, here are three keys that could lead Florida State to victory this weekend.
1. Control the Time of Possession
Florida State must own the time of possession in this game. The Seminoles possessed the ball for an average of 27.12 minutes per game last season, ranking 121st in the nation. If you could have guessed, this was a result of many three-and-outs, which left the defense on the field too long. The Seminoles will need to extend drives even if they don't always result in points. This crucial strategy has proven successful against Alabama. Just last season, a heavy underdog in their own right, Vanderbilt, toppled the Tide while owning 42:08 minutes of game time. While maybe not as drastic, a similar fortune will need to occur this weekend for Florida State.
2. Win the Turnover Margin
Florida State's young defensive back room will need to be active this weekend. This comes at an opportune time, as Alabama QB Ty Simpson will make his first collegiate start in what is expected to be a ruckus environment. Patrick Surtain's crew will need to force the inexperienced quarterback into turnovers, a task the Seminoles struggled with in 2024. At the same time, Florida State's offense will need to take care of the ball. This will help the Seminoles win the turnover margin and steal possessions, which will be critical for the Seminoles to pull off the upset.
3. Attack Early and Often
Tommy Castellanos and the Florida State offense will need to come out firing on all cylinders this weekend. It is pivotal that Gus Malzahn gets his quarterback in rhythm early in this game. Historically, this has been a bright side for Florida State in years past. As many recall from the dominant opening drive last season versus Georgia Tech, the Seminoles usually perform well under their scripted playsets, which are normally orchestrated for the first drive of the game. Unlike last year's contest, Florida State will not only have to strike early, but often, to have a chance to pull off the upset.