On Saturday, Aug. 30, Doak Campbell Stadium was filled with thousands of FSU fans storming the field to celebrate the Seminoles’ football win over No. 8-ranked Alabama.
As an FSU student, this felt bigger than the Seminoles pulling off their first ranked win since 2023; this was redemption. Alabama hasn’t lost an opening game in 23 seasons, so this was a big upset for their team. What made it even better? This win was against the team that knocked FSU out of the College Football Playoffs (CFP) in 2023.
The decision to leave an undefeated FSU team out of the CFP is still considered one of the most controversial decisions in college football history. This marked the first time an undefeated Power Five program had been excluded from the playoffs. Head Coach Mike Norvell did not hide his frustrations, saying he was “Disgusted and infuriated with the committee’s decision.”
This snub stung; however, the humiliating loss at the Orange Bowl weeks later felt like a stab to the heart. Even though 25 players opted out of the game (including 14 starters), critics of FSU used the 63-3 loss to justify Florida State’s exclusion. This loss was a disheartening end to a season that was filled with the hope of winning a National Championship.
If that wasn’t enough, the following 2024 season was an utter disaster. The Seminoles finished with a 2-10 record — their worst since 1974. It felt like the football program was doomed.
Some say this disastrous season was a consequence of the transfer portal. FSU had a 40% roster turnover, with 17 transfer students joining the team, including quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. The effectiveness of Uiagalelei can be debated, but it was clear that FSU fans did not accept him as an adequate replacement for the previous quarterback, Jordan Travis. Without a key player for the Seminoles, most students were no longer actively engaged with the season.
By November 2024, Norvell had seen enough. He fired both the Offensive and Defensive coordinators to show the new recruiting class that FSU was making changes to the coaching department. Their replacements, Gus Malzahn as the Offensive Coordinator and Tony White as the Defensive Coordinator, officially joined in December 2024.
Along with these new members of the coaching staff, the 2025 recruiting class ranked second in the ACC, just behind Miami. FSU signed 23 players from the 2025 high school class and 16 players from the transfer portal.
The most significant replacement, quarterback Thomas Castellanos, ironically humiliated FSU at their home opener last season when he played for Boston College. Castellanos showed why he was such a nightmare to defend last season.
The first game of this season, he completed nine of 14 passes for 152 yards and rushed 16 times, all while commanding an offense that relentlessly wore down Alabama’s defense. By the end of the night, FSU had stacked up 230 rushing yards, leaving no doubt about who controlled the line of scrimmage.
FSU’s defense matched that intensity. They bottled up Alabama’s running game, allowing just 87 yards on 29 carries. They also came through in clutch moments with three fourth-down stops. For the first time in a year, the Seminoles looked aggressive on both sides of the ball.
The atmosphere inside Doak was unforgettable. Students stood through the second-quarter downpour singing the war chant as they sensed the historic moment coming to fruition. When the students rushed the field, it wasn’t just about celebrating the win. It was about releasing their frustrations over the tribulations the team had gone through. At this moment, FSU students declared that Florida State football was back.
The national conversation is already reflecting this. FSU is currently ranked No. 10 in the AP week three rankings, a massive leap for a team left out of the Preseason Top 25. Momentum is on their side, and this win feels like the start of a new era for the Seminoles.
FSU is not just trying to prove they belong; they are proving they cannot be taken down!
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