Sunday, August 31, 2025

Sunday Hangover: Florida State

This game started out as positively as an Alabama would have wanted it to. The Tide marched down the field on a long sustained drive that ate up over half the first quarter. 

Ty Simpson looked good, and we were running the ball. 

For the next 2 quarters the Crimson Tide defense looked confused, took bad angles, seemed unprepared, and got distracted with Florida State's eye-candy offense. The offense was equally inept. 

I like to think the defense would have looked at how Gus Malzahn runs his offenses. He's been around a long time, and there's tape out there of how he runs his show. 

By the time the Tide started getting its collective shit together, they had to go for it a number of times on fourth down. 

There were a number of notable blunders. The two unnecessary roughness penalties were just flat-out stupid. And on a crucial fourth down play, instead of throwing a bad pass to Williams, Simpson could have easily run for a fourth down. 

Florida State played well. Or should we just call them Transfer Portal State University? They had a revamped team based on the portal. 

In contrast, Alabama didn't lose anyone in the portal and only brought in a handful of players. 

It didn't help that the Tide didn't have its starting running back, left guard, and nose tackle playing in the game. Those missing in action made a difference. 

If a team is going to lose, it's better to lose early. 

However, the performance yesterday afternoon doesn't not inspire confidence in me that this team will make the playoffs. 

I hope they prove me wrong.   

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