And that's that.
A bummer of a second half
Bama starting at its 40 ends a run of 5 straight drives starting in FSU territory.
Hope Francois is alright
Uh oh. Francois sacked on third down and is holding his leg.
It's gone full Generic Bama Win Talk
The broadcast is talking about physicality? Seriously? This is all about field position and special teams blunders.
Another special teams blunder. With even average special teams, FSU is in this game, instead it is about to get blown out.
My god, updated field position: Bama 46.0, FSU 24.6
(I screwed up the scoring opps averages on that last one, but this one should be right.)
Bama punts it and it's downed inside FSU's 6. Long 94 yards to go.
3rd and 13 for Alabama
Oh no
Francois
Never mind. Francois was playing well through about 40 minutes. Those two picks are both bad. Baited on back-to-back picks.
Aaaaand Francois throws a pick on 1st down, Bama ball. Damn.
Blink and you missed it
Pretty big drive for Florida State comin up here
WIDE LEFT #COLLEGEKICKERS
Aaaaand it's still a game.
Hurts' pass in the end zone is incomplete on 3rd and 3. Field goal comin
I think that was actually the first pass Hurts had thrown further than 5 yards downfield since the TD bomb.
On 4th and 1, Scarbrough punches it in for a 1st down. Clock tickin
Bama's offense is doing absolutely nothing. And it doesn't matter.
End of the 4th, Bama leads it 21-7.
Mood
Oh no, Francois is picked
Alabama goes for the 2-point conversion (lol wut) and gets it on a pass from Hurts to Ridley. The Tide now up 21-7
72 rushing and receiving yards, a TD, and a blocked punt. Unique from Harris.
Damien Harris, who blocked that punt earlier, scores a TD to put the Tide up 19-7 extra point pending
Fumble stands. Bama gets the ball at the 11
Suddenly Bama's winning the field position game by 12 yards per possession
BUD!
Yeah, that was a fumble. Closer than I thought on replay, though.
Ballgame
BAMA FUMBLE RECOVERY
Special teams nightmares for FSU tonight. Fumbled KR. Bama recovers.
Oh man
Both teams have created scoring chances on half their possessions. And they're averaging 2.5 points per scoring opportunity.
Bill, yeah, and if this defense is not as good as last year's...
FSU's offense/defense have played Alabama pretty evenly, its special teams are a cluster of the highest order.
Wow, huge outing by the FSU defense there. Alabama has to settle for a field goal after starting on the Noles' 6
New Hurts looks like ... Old Hurts.
FSU's defense holds and forces the FG, good, 13-7 Alabama.
Huge Hurts sack by Josh Sweat. 3rd and goal now.
Flag is for illegal formation, blocked punt stands. Sets up Bama at the FSU 6 yard line
Hoooooo that's a big blocked punt right there. (I guess they're all pretty big.)
BAMA BLOCKS THE PUNT (Flag down though)
BLOCCCCCCCCK (and flag)
And Bama RBs have just 27 yards in 11 carries since Harris' first-play run
Francois pass incomplete on 3rd down. Noles will punt.
Florida State averaging 1.3 yards per carry on the night. Yeesh.
That Ridley loss hurt Alabama on that drive. Tide will punt.
FSU's defense read that thing well
Oh no, Calvin Ridley with a huge loss, 3rd down coming
What the hell was the play design on that
SABAN GET YOUR GET-BACK MANS
That'd have been a red card for impeding a clear scoring opp in soccer.
Looked a little overthrown, but that could've potentially been taken to the house by Calvin Ridley
Or holding. Or both.
Pi coming on Florida State
In Alabama's last 7 losses, it has given up 45, 43, 42, 35, 34, 29, 23. They are very comfortable in low-scoring games.
FSU's made more good offensive plays, but Bama's been more disruptive
Updated havoc rate: Bama 28%, FSU 7%
Raekwon Davis, who was shot in the leg less than a dang week ago forces an FSU punt with a sack
Bama stops Akers that time, 3rd down coming for FSU
CAM AKERS JUKE ALERT
Akers just gets tripped up, had a lane. Nice play by Daron Payne.
Cam Akers back in at running back for the Noles to start the 3Q
Second half about to get underway
Yep, Alabama got away with a missed PI call here
Francois is only 7-for-10 on passes within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage (they've gained 31 yards) but is 5-for-8 on passes between 5-12 yards (71 yards gained), and 2-for-4 on longer passes for 59 yards.
PAWWWWL THESE REFS BE CHEATIN
Hurts in the first half: 5-for-6 for 18 yards on passes within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage, 2-for-4 for 74 yards on longer passes. (Didn't count two throwaways.)
So this is about what we all expected, right? Neither team extending themselves on offense, both staying in their comfort areas. Lotta really good defense.
very much so
Just saw another angle of that. FSU got screwed on that non-PI call, plain and simple.
Alabama heads to the locker room with a 10-7 lead.
AGUAYO'S KICK IS BLOCKED
Under 400 total yards combined, 5 third down conversions. This is exactly what Nick "wants the game to be."
Francois' pass in the end zone incomplete. Noles want a flag for PI.
Yeeeaaaaaah they missed pass interference there. Bama got away with one.
FSU timeout with 16 seconds to go and a 3rd down coming.
Nearly a pick for Alabama there. So close. Woooo boy.
Alabama's called for PI, Florida State with a chance to score before half here (00:26 left 2Q)
FSU sure could use those timeouts right now...
Curious how long it took the rest of you to figure out that's a leather helmet painted on the field. For two quarters I've been wondering why Mercedes Benz Stadium was honoring bedpans.
Here's Bud's breakdown of how the Noles are daring Bama to throw tonight.
Jalen Hurts slips trying to run for the 1st down, Tide will punt.
Big throw from Hurts to true freshman Jerry Jeudy, but it's coming back for a hold
12-yard punt from FSU, following Bama's 9-yard one this is not a drill
Through Bama's TD, the teams had combined for a 40% success rate. Since: 12%
Oh god, this is not the game to watch if you want punting tips
FSU loses 5 yards on the drive and will have to punt with 3:29 remaining
The first reverse wasn't exactly an amazing gainer, and they weren't even slightly fooled
Odd play call killed that FSU drive.
Big 3rd down coming for Florida State
THAT PUNT WENT 9 YARDS
Nice jinx on the punting, Bud.
OH NO, ALABAMA SHANK PUNT
From my vantage point, Calvin Ridley went far too back and did not need to. He likely had the first down if he does not bend it.
FSU almost ended Alabama's drive there, but Hurts slipped out of it. Loses only 1.
Alabama gets the ball back at the 14.
Yeah he's pretty good now
Cam Akers is going to be good. Really good.
Welcome to the show, former five-star RB recruit Cam Akers
Alabama's rush defense holding the Noles so far
James Madison THUMPING East Carolina...
Very cool thing Jalen Hurts did tonight to support the city of Houston #Pray4Houston
Florida State brings pressure and it pays off. Bama punt coming
Derwin James applying some major pressure to Jalen Hurts.
Scarbrough has the most impressive 2-yard runs in college football
Hurts just had a guy wide-ass open (can I say that in the live blog)
Havoc rate: Bama 14%, FSU 10%
Average field position: Bama 27.8, FSU 20
Standard downs success rate so far: Bama 54%, FSU 40%
Alabama has a huge advantage at punter. Basically every time FSU and the Tide trade punts, Alabama gains a first down of yardage.
Florida State stopped short of the 1st, punt coming. Nice three-and-out forced by the Bama defense
Mack Brown's gonna sue Kirk for using the word "momentum" this much
Two straight Francois passes batted down. He's not the 6'2 they list him at IMO.
Alabama did a good job of running Hurts then setting up the PA with a lot of window dressing.
10-7, Alabama takes back the lead. Hell of a throw by Hurts there
Every drive has ended inside the opponent's 40. Just the kind of shootout we all predicted.
Touchdown Alabama on a bomb throw from Hurts to Calvin Ridley
True freshman running back is in for the Tide
A WILD VOLS FAN APPEARS
Here's another look at that last FSU TD
Wait, Purdue is doing WHAT?
Not a bad night for Francois so far
Interesting to see how long FSU can sustain success like that without any run threat whatsoever, but they're finding a lot of matchups they like right now. Against a damn good secondary.
Ruling stands, TD Noles
Touchdown is now being reviewed
7-3 FSU, extra point pending
Touchdown Noles, Auden Tate with the catch.
Francois still cooking, Noles inside Alabama's 5
On the play where Francois got blasted, I am pretty sure RB Jacques Patrick has to pick up the blitzer as opposed to free releasing.
Jameis Winston, who's on the FSU sideline tonight, likes what he's seeing from Francois so far
Alabama is starting to blitz Francois a lot now. We'll see how he handles it. Last two have been good.
Another first down for the Noles, Francois took a big hit on the play though
Damn, that throw was pretty. Florida State's in Alabama territory now
Francois hits Auden Tate, who missed some practice this week, for a 30-yard reception. To beat Alabama, you must win 1v1 battles against their corners. If not, you're dead in the water.
hoo boy, grown man catch
FRANCOIS TO TATE ON A BOMB
Francois finds TE Ryan Izzo for the 1st down
IT JUST MEANS MORE
Raekwon Davis, who took a gun shot to the leg over the weekend, starting for Bama at DE for this series. Wow. https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/9/2/16247472/raekwon-davis-alabama-gunshot-shooting-injury
Noles just had to use their second timeout. That's... not ideal 12 minutes into the game.
(especially since he's still a hell of a scrambler)
Bama's sudden lack of a run game is putting pressure on Hurts to throw downfield, but he's pulling it off
36-yard field goal is good, it's 3-0 Alabama with 4:30 left in the 1Q
Hurts got a lucky bounce on that cruddy snap
Hurts still has wheels, man. Another Alabama 1st down
FSU brought the blitz on third down but didn't get home.
Lol, Jalen Hurts just threw a pass to himself and only lost a yard
So Francois' accuracy issues end the drive, but he also was responsible for a good bit of the drive. Missed wide open guy on first play of the game, third down was thrown on the wrong shoulder making the WR completely turn around, and then he didn't see the very open man on fourth down. But he made two quite nice plays.
Jimbo Fisher wearing reading glasses on the sidelines is my absolute new favorite thing
Francois taken down, Bama ball
Scoring chances! No points!
FSU faced with a 4th and 2 following an incomplete pass, Noles going for it
This needs to be 4-down territory for FSU if they don't pick it up on third down. Call two plays in the huddle, go quickly if you don't get.
JIMBO WITH SOME TRICKERY
That is a big time play by Deondre Francois. Avoided rusher who beat replacement OL who was in because starter's helmet came off.
Francois to Georgia Campbell, another first down for the Noles
3rd and 1 for Florida State, Deondre Francois keeps it and gets the first 1st down for the Noles.
That is really breaking tendency. Florida State almost never QB sneaks. I
Nice first series for the FSU defense overall
Groundhog day, the Alabama football version
Bama kick is no good #COLLEGEKICKERS
3rd and 9 and, Scarbrough comes up short of the 1st. Field goal coming
Almost all of Bama's rushes going off RT, as Bud suggested
SABAN IS STILL EVOLVING, HELP
Call stands, officials give the 1st down to Scarbrough.
Yeah, that's a first down
Aaaand officials reviewing if he did in fact get the 1st
He does, and Bo Scarbrough gets the 1st down. Tough run there.
Calvin Ridley catches the ball short of the 4th down. Does Saban go for it here?
Alabama went right at Brian Burns, FSU's light defensive end to start the game. Alabama will want to target him with the run when possible. He is dangerous in space, but is only 230 pounds.
Sup, Damien Harris
well then
Mercedes-Benz, you look beautiful tonight
The three key stats I said I'd be watching the other day (https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/8/28/16213524/alabama-florida-state-game-2017-preview-jalen-hurts-deondre-francois) were standard downs success rate, field position, and havoc. Will be tracking those ... and seeing if I know what I'm talking about.
FSU elects to kick, which is interesting given that starting safety Trey Marshall is out for the first half. I thought they might look to receive and minimize the number of possessions that don't feature Marshall.
HERE. WE. GO.
nothing says football like T-Swift
Oh hell yes new Taylor Swift on the intro y'all
One of Alabama QB Hurts' arm bands also has Houston's 713 area code on it
meanwhile
LET'S GOOOOO
The digs for this game ain't bad
The 6yo has made her choice.
Alabama QB Jalen Hurts showing some hometown love for Houston tonight
I'd be torn between watching this and the end of USC-WMU ... if I actually had Pac-12 Network. NO WORRIES THERE.
Sup, Derwin James. Good to have ya back
Let's see whatcha got, Year 2 Jalen Hurts
"This is really happening" yes sir, Chris Fowler
Very odd that these programs have only played once since 1974. I would've just ASSUMED it'd be more frequent than that
Y'all, I'm so jacked right now
I'm ready
Almost time! Biggest opener in college football history is about to kick off, folks.
Hey y'all! This will get rolling shortly, but for now, here's what to know: https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/9/1/16200342/fsu-alabama-greatest-opening-game-time-tv-preview-opener
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