SEC Gets Called Out by Dave Portnoy After Alabama Suffers an Ugly Loss to Florida State in their Opener
In an unexpected turn of events, the Florida State Seminoles claimed a 31-17 victory over the eighth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in their Week 1 matchup. The game, held at Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, marked the first opening game loss for Alabama since 2001.
Kalen DeBoer, in his second campaign as the head coach of Alabama, seemed to find his team struggling to emulate their eighth-ranked status. The Crimson Tide struggled to establish their run game, managing only 74 yards on 29 carries.
On the other hand, Florida State's quarterback, Tommy Castellanos, who transferred from Boston College, proved to be a game-changer. Castellanos, who had made a public statement in June predicting Alabama's struggles without Nick Saban, ended the game with a total of 230 yards and one touchdown. His average of 5.9 yards per completion during the game was a significant contribution to Florida State's win.
Junior quarterback Ty Simpson threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns for Alabama, but it was not enough to counteract the Seminoles' offensive momentum.
The loss left Alabama's fans searching for answers, with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith and Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, joining the chorus of criticism on social media. Smith's criticism was posted during the game, while Portnoy's criticism was shared hours after his duties for Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" before the Ohio State-Texas game.
Meanwhile, Florida State's football team celebrated on the field after their win, marking a historic moment for head coach Mike Norvell, who achieved his first victory against Alabama on September 1, 2025.
Last season, under DeBoer's coaching, Alabama had a 9-4 season. The team will undoubtedly be looking to bounce back from this loss and regain their form as they move forward in the season.
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