Alabama on upset alert? Crimson Tide trail Florida State at the half
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Despite being favored by as many as 14 points pregame, Alabama finds itself trailing 17-7 at halftime of its season-opener against Florida State on Saturday.
The Crimson Tide got off to a 7-0 lead after their opening drive, which ended in a Ty Simpson touchdown pass. However, the rest of the half was tilted in FSU’s favor.
Florida State scored the next 17 points unanswered as quarterback Thomas Castellanos turned in a dominant performance. He completed 7-of-8 passes for 81 yards and rushed for 56 more yards plus a score before the break. Micahi Danzi also got on the scoreboard with a 31-yard touchdown run in the first half.
Alabama’s defense was dreadful in the first half. The Crimson Tide allowed Florida State to amass over 8 yards per play during its first three drives.
Looking ahead to the second half, Alabama is now a 3.5-point underdog in live betting markets to Florida State, according to the latest college football odds from DraftKings.
If Alabama does ultimately lose to Florida State, it would have significant CFP implications. A nonconference loss would put Alabama in a tough spot as it seeks to earn a College Football Playoff berth.
It would also be a devastating result for the SEC as a whole. The league has already been on the wrong side of the score board in a big game in Week 1 as Texas fell to Ohio State earlier in the day. Teams like LSU and South Carolina are also still to play in Week 1.
Alabama is 3-1-1 all-time in its series against Florida State.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
