Alabama's reputation dented after 31-17 loss to unranked Florida State; Johnny Manziel says opponents 'ain't nobody scared'

Alabama, ranked No. 8 entering the season, was upset 31-17 by unranked Florida State in the season opener, prompting former Heisman winner Johnny Manziel to say the Crimson Tide no longer inspire the fear they once did.

Alabama’s 2025 season got off to a surprising start Saturday when the No. 8 Crimson Tide fell 31-17 to unranked Florida State in Tallahassee, a result that quickly became a major storyline across college football and reopened questions about Alabama’s standing among the sport’s elite. The defeat came in the teams’ season-opening game and marked a rare home-state upset for the historically dominant program.

Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos scored on a 9-yard rushing touchdown in the first half, one of several plays that underscored the Seminoles’ control of the game. Tackles and coverage assignments from Alabama, including a play involving linebacker Deontae Lawson, were visible in the first-half sequence that resulted in Castellanos' score. The game, played Aug. 30, 2025 in Tallahassee, saw Florida State build and maintain momentum against Alabama’s defense until the final whistle.

"Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos scores during the first half, Aug. 30, 2025."

The upset drew immediate national attention not only because of the score but because of what it signified for a program that has been widely regarded as a college-football dynasty in recent decades. On the sports-talk program the Nightcap Show with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel said the aura of invincibility that once surrounded Alabama has faded. Manziel, who played collegiately at Texas A&M and faced Alabama multiple times during his collegiate career, said that the fear factor that once accompanied matchups against the Crimson Tide is gone.

"In the past, you walk in facing an Alabama team, you probably got a little fear," Manziel said. "This is ‘Bama. The team has been a dynasty, you got a little fear. That fear aspect of what Alabama is — completely gone. Ain’t nobody scared of them boys."

Manziel’s comments echoed a broader national conversation about whether this season’s result reflects a single upset or a larger shift in college football’s balance of power. Analysts and fans pointed to several elements in the game that suggested Florida State executed its game plan effectively while Alabama struggled to respond consistently on both sides of the ball.

Alabama’s coaching staff and personnel adjustments over the offseason were also part of the postgame discussion. The program entered the 2025 season under the direction of head coach Kalen DeBoer, and observers noted that coaching transitions can produce uneven results early in a tenure as systems and personnel align to new schemes. DeBoer and his staff face a quick re-evaluation period as Alabama prepares to regroup for its conference slate, while Florida State carries momentum from the upset into its follow-up games.

Turnovers, third-down efficiency and red-zone performance were among the key statistical categories that influenced the outcome. Florida State’s ability to convert critical third downs and to finish drives in the red zone contrasted with Alabama’s struggles in those same moments, according to game summaries and postgame analysis. The Seminoles’ offense produced enough sustained drives to keep Alabama off balance and to manage the clock in the second half, dampening opportunities for a late Crimson Tide rally.

The loss also has implications for rankings and the early College Football Playoff conversation. Alabama, which began the day ranked eighth in national polls, will face scrutiny from pollsters and the media in the coming days as voters reassess the team's place among top contenders. Florida State, unranked entering the game, is likely to receive votes in subsequent ballots after defeating a top-10 opponent on a national stage.

Beyond immediate standings, the defeat invited reflection on the long-term narrative of Alabama football. For more than a decade, the Crimson Tide have been a benchmark program, frequently landing in title discussions and annually contending for College Football Playoff berths. Those historical accomplishments were referenced repeatedly in commentary following the loss, as analysts contrasted recent struggles with past dominance. Manziel’s remarks tapped into that narrative, asserting that the psychological edge Alabama sometimes held over opponents has been diminished.

Fans and former players weighed in across social and traditional media, offering a mix of criticism and calls for calm. Some observers pointed to roster turnover, injuries and a retooled coaching staff as contributing factors, arguing that a single early-season defeat should not define Alabama’s campaign. Others suggested the loss highlighted vulnerabilities that opposing coaches can exploit if they prepare effectively.

For Florida State, the victory represented a statement win for head coach and his staff, reinforcing offseason confidence and providing evidence that the team can win against ranked competition on a big stage. Castellanos’ scoring run, and the Seminoles’ ability to sustain drives, stood out as tangible victories in execution and play-calling. The result will likely energize recruiting conversations and fan support in the near term as the program seeks to build on the upset.

Alabama’s coaching staff faced a quick turnaround task after the game: identifying corrections to be made while maintaining focus on the season ahead. Historically, programs with Alabama’s resources have recovered from early setbacks, but the margin for error in a competitive conference and in the national landscape is narrow. How DeBoer and his staff respond in practice planning, adjustments to schemes and personnel decisions will be watched closely by both supporters and critics of the program.

"Johnny Manziel, former Heisman Trophy winner, discussed Alabama's loss on the Nightcap Show."

Season-opening upsets are a familiar storyline in college football, and they often recalibrate expectations for both the victor and the defeated. The longer-term significance of Florida State’s win over Alabama will be judged in part by how each team performs over the next several weeks: whether Florida State can sustain the level of play that produced the upset, and whether Alabama can adjust and reassert itself against conference opponents. Pollsters, commentators and playoff analysts will monitor subsequent results to determine if Saturday’s score was an outlier or an early sign of shifting dynamics.

For now, the headline remains Saturday’s scoreboard: Florida State 31, Alabama 17. The game broke an early-season narrative that presumed Alabama would again be among the unquestioned favorites, and it produced immediate commentary from high-profile voices such as Manziel questioning the Tide’s aura of invincibility. As both programs move forward, the first weekend of the 2025 college football season will be remembered for the upset and for the conversations it set off about the current state of one of the sport’s most storied programs.