No. 1 Alabama is set to face off against No. 3 Florida State in Week 1 of the college football season, but who won the last time these two powerhouses faced off?
The Alabama Crimson Tide are once again the favorites to win the College Football Playoff. However, they face a tough opponent in their first game of the season in the third ranked Florida State Seminoles.
These two powerhouses of college football last played in 2007 when neither program was at the top of their game.
The 22nd ranked Crimson Tide travelled to Tallahassee to play the unranked Seminoles. Explosive offense and sound defense scored Florida State the victory by a score of 21-14 in Week 5 of that season.
Xavier Lee, then the Seminoles quarterback, proved himself as the starter after some shaky performances prior. Lee had been expected to transfer in the offseason, but decided to stay. In this game, he completed 12 of 19 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns, including a 70-yard hook up with De’Cody Fagg. That play practically sealed the game for Florida State as it gave them a 14-point lead with less than five minutes remaining.
This game came at a time when both teams wanted to regain their status atop college football. Both teams would accomplished this feat in the next few years. Alabama won the 2010 BCS National Championship over the Texas Longhorns. Meanwhile, Florida State won the title in 2014 in a high-scoring affair against the Auburn Tigers.
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Both programs hope to earn their spots in the College Football Playoff this season. This game could be the precursor to a post season match up in the winter.
This time the Seminoles won’t have the good fortune of home-field advantage. The game will be played at Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Alabama vs. Florida State will take place at 8:00 PM PT and will be televised on ABC.