The Alabama Crimson Tide traveled to Tallahassee for their highly anticipated season opener against the Florida State Seminoles. Throughout the summer, Florida State transfer Thomas Castellanos had been talking major trash to Alabama—taking repeated shots at the program and questioning the team's future without longtime head coach Nick Saban.
“I'm excited, man. People, I don't know if they know, but you go back and watch every first game that I played in, we always start fast," Castellanos said. "I dreamed of moments like this. I dreamed of playing against Alabama. They don't have Nick Saban to save them. I just don't see them stopping me.”
Unfortunately for Alabama, the game didn't go their way. The Crimson Tide fell to Florida State by a score of 31–17. First-time starter Ty Simpson struggled to find rhythm, and the rest of the team followed suit. The loss was a historic one for the program.
“For the first time in 24 years, Alabama is 0–1 to start the season, and for coach Kalen DeBoer, more losses are coming for his program unless major corrections are made across several areas,” CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford wrote.
Wide receiver Ryan Williams entered the year looking to build on a strong freshman campaign. But in the opener, he was limited to just five catches for 30 yards. His quiet night drew concern from analysts—including Todd McShay.
“Still scratching my head a bit that 2 of the best WRs CFB has seen in a few yrs — Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams — were held to 73 combined receiving yards in Week 1. I get it… Two 1st-yr starting QBs vs really good D’s. Just not what I expected. Williams’ performance was definitely more alarming,” McShay posted.
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Alabama will look to bounce back in Week 2. Williams will also aim to prove that his underwhelming opener was just a fluke. His performance in Week 1 didn't match his usual level of play, and McShay’s comments reflect a growing concern about the young receiver's early form. The Tide will return to Bryant-Denny Stadium next weekend, and Williams will have a chance to rebound in front of the home crowd.