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You could cut the tension in Tuscaloosa with a knife.

Florida State may not be a traditional rival to the Alabama Crimson Tide, but after the embarrassment of Week 1 in the 2025 season, Gump Nation wanted this game.

But after a two-hour weather delay, fans started getting antsy. And once the game kicked off, the players didn’t seem to match the fans’ intensity.

The Tide went down 21-6 in the first half, and people were starting to wonder, “Does Florida State just have the Tide’s number?”

Ultimately, Alabama prevailed, after overcoming the deficit and pulled out a 50-36 win.

It may not have been pretty, but the Tide got the win and, in the process, avenged the 2025 loss.

Here are a few things we learned from Saturday’s game.

Defense Was Shockingly Pedestrian

Coming into Week 3, it was hard to imagine Florida State figuring out a way to slip past Alabama’s stifling defense.

But after allowing Florida State to take a 21-6 lead in the first half, it was clear something needed to change.

Perhaps the nearly two-hour weather delay disrupted Alabama's rhythm, because what we were used to seeing from Alabama’s defense was hardly what we saw on Saturday.

Prior to Week 3, Alabama had only let opponents convert on third down once out of 23 attempts. Florida State finished the game 8-15 on third-down conversions, and 2-3 on fourth downs.

Additionally, the Seminoles converted on nine different plays that went for over 20 yards. 

To the Tide's credit, Alabama appeared to wake up after another lengthy rain delay sent both teams back into their locker rooms at the end of the first half.

Keon Sabb made an extraordinary play to break up a pass from FSU quarterback Ashton Daniels, and tipped it into Ivan Taylor’s hands – giving Taylor his first career interception.

The Seminoles did fight back, but it clearly wasn’t enough after Alabama walked away with the 14-point win.

Ryan Coleman-Williams Showed Up

In the keys to the game prior to Saturday, we mentioned that in order for the Crimson Tide to walk away with a win, it needed to include a big game from wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams.

He finished the game with just three receptions for 62 yards, but those 62 yards were pivotal. 

While those are hardly world beater numbers, those 62 yards included an explosive 46-yard touchdown.

Coleman-Williams makes a major difference when he generates those explosive plays. His skillset is so dynamic that he can turn a defense inside out, which is exactly why Alabama needs him to be a part of the game plan each week.

One difference from last week was that he put gloves back on. To start the season, he expressed a desire to play without gloves in order to turn a new leaf. However, even with his dropping issues still evident, he decided to wear the gloves in Week 3.

Three catches and 62 yards later, perhaps the gloves stay on.

Shake the Jitters Off

Another one of our keys was for quarterback Keelon Russell to play with more poise.

While he still is a redshirt freshman, and it’s a lot easier said than done, Russell’s slow starts have found the Crimson Tide to be in the hole twice already.

But as shown twice already throughout the season, once Russell got comfortable enough, he started letting the game come to him.

Some of the issues that stemmed in the first half weren't his fault. Florida State pressured him well, including a sack from Jabril Rawls that left him completely unblocked, never giving Russell time to process a play.

Russell was able to make big plays, including a 56-yard running touchdown. We knew Russell had wheels, but his ability to take off at any given time unlocks a new dynamic for Alabama’s offense.

A Weakness Is Now A Strength

For three weeks, the Alabama run game has been the storyline of the season.

After having the worst rushing season in program history since the 1950s, the running back trio of Daniel Hill, Trae’shawn Brown, and EJ Crowell has been a marvel to watch.

Between the three of them, they ran for 196 yards.

Brown continues to be a fascinating case, after giving head coach Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb no choice but to play him. The true freshman was a late addition to Alabama's class before National Signing Day earlier this year.

Now, he’s already rushed for 123 yards on 5.1 yards per carry and three touchdowns.

Crowell has showcased tremendous athleticism, hurdling over defenders twice on Saturday. The former Mr. Alabama in high school has continued to prove why he was one of the most coveted running backs in the nation.

He’s averaging 6.2 yards per carry on 105 yards and three touchdowns.

Hill is the elder statesman of the group, and he’s been the most effective. He's elevated his open-field ability while using his big frame to break tackles and push through the line.

This season, he’s averaging a career-high 5.5 yards per carry and is close to matching his 2025 totals with 210 rushing yards and three touchdowns. 

A year after the run game became one of Alabama's biggest weaknesses, the Tide suddenly has three backs capable of making defenses pay.

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