FSU rolls over Alabama: Marching Chiefs’ War Chant for fans on field
Marching Chiefs play War Chant for fans who stormed the field after FSU win over Alabama
Mike Norvell said it best.
“Welcome back to Doak Campbell Stadium.”
Home to one of college football’s most iconic brands in Florida State, the iconic venue, with its completed $265 million facelift, was at its very best Saturday night.
Two of college football’s premier programs in FSU and Alabama were playing the first game in program history at Doak, kicked off the new era of Seminole football in the iconic venue.
It had all the makings of a legendary Doak moment, and the 67,722 fans were ready for it.
The only question that remained was whether the Seminoles could deliver it?
What followed was 60 minutes of football that will be written into FSU lore for decades as the Seminoles, an unfathomable near two-touchdown underdog at home to Alabama, out-muscled the Tide with a performance worthy of the venue, beating the eighth-ranked team in the land 31-17.
Led by a smashmouth rushing attack that recorded 240 yards and four touchdowns, including one from quarterback Tommy Castellanos, and a physical defense that outmatched one of the SEC’s best offensive lines, the Seminoles rose to the level that the occasion demanded and overpowered Alabama.
Every yard gained, crunching tackle made, and touchdown scored was met by a roar from the Seminole faithful that shook the foundation of the stadium. It was a cathartic release for a fanbase that had experienced nearly two years of misery from the devastating Jordan Travis leg injury to the disastrous 2-10 season in 2024.
The atmosphere and the fans were labeled as “difference makers” by Norvell, and their influence was evident as Alabama’s quarterback Ty Simpson was forced into multiple delay of game penalties in key situations.
“It was an incredible feeling seeing that come together tonight in the first game of the season on a big stage,” Norvell said. “Going to get a win that we needed to get.”
The win announced on a national stage that this isn’t the same team that went 2-10 last season. Heck, that should have been clear by the coaching staff overhaul and 49 new players, but any lingering doubts over whether things were slipping away from Norvell and the program have been halted, for now at least.
How the Seminoles follow up their week one upset remains to be seen, but it’s a massive step in the right direction for a program that has washed its hands clean of 2024.
Can the Seminoles keep their foot on the gas when East Texas A&M and Kent State roll into town? Will FSU keep its focus for a Friday trip to Virginia? Those are the questions to ask, and the answers will be found in the strands of time ahead of us.
But one thing is for sure.
The nearly 70,000 fans in the stands, and the thousands who swarmed the field as the final whistle sounded to form a Garnet and Gold tidal wave, knew what they had just experienced.
Doak at its iconic best, delivering a Seminole moment for a program that absolutely needed it.
FSU football 2025 schedule
FSU football head coach Mike Norvell gives his thoughts on upset win over Alabama
FSU football head coach Mike Norvell gives his thoughts on upset win over Alabama
- Aug. 30, Alabama: 31-17 win
- Sept. 6, East Texas A&M, Noon
- Sept. 20, Kent State, TBA
- Sept. 26, at Virginia (Friday), 7 p.m.
- Oct. 4, Miami, TBA
- Oct. 11, Pittsburgh, TBA
- Oct. 18, at Stanford, 10:30 p.m.
- Nov. 1 Wake Forest, TBA
- Nov. 8 at Clemson, TBA
- Nov. 15 Virginia Tech, TBA
- Nov. 21 North Carolina State (Fri.), 8 p.m.
- Nov. 29, Florida, TBA
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
