You know that moment when you check the schedule, circle the date, dream about the lights, the noise, the energy—and then they slap you with a 3:30 p.m. kickoff like it’s a random Group of Five game in October? Yeah. That’s where Florida State fans are right now. The season opener against Alabama—the same one folks have been drooling over since 2019—won’t be played under the lights in a packed-out, newly renovated Doak Campbell. Nope. It’s getting the heatstroke slot. And quarterback Thomas Castellanos? He said what everybody else was thinking.

On May 13th, Thomas Castellanos took it to X: “Lol, no prime time is crazy, but bet.” That one word—”bet”—might as well have been a match dropped in gasoline. The hype was already simmering. Alabama rolling into Tally. A fresh Doak. A revenge tour for Mike Norvell. The ghost of a 2-10 season lurking. It was supposed to be cinematic. But now, instead of a primetime battle on ABC, Seminoles and Tide fans are going to be sweating through their clothes by halftime.

Clemson and LSU stole the night slot. Why? Because they’re expected to be top-10 squads. Meanwhile, FSU is sitting in the unranked corner, trying to claw their way out of last season’s grave. Still, the buzz hasn’t died—it just changed shape. Especially with Castellanos holding the mic. This man’s story is almost too poetic. In Week 1 of 2024, Thomas Castellanos walked into Doak as Boston College’s QB1 and left with FSU’s dignity in a Ziploc bag. He threw for 106, ran for 73, totaled 3 touchdowns, and dragged an unranked BC squad to an upset over No. 10 FSU. It was a gut punch that left Tallahassee in shambles.

Fast forward: Castellanos gets hurt mid-season, loses his job, hits the portal, and who comes calling? Florida State. Now he’s wearing the same jersey he embarrassed, leading a new-look Seminole squad into a war with Bama. So yeah, the kickoff time might not be prime. But this storyline? Crazy.

Big upset ahead?

Let’s talk stakes. For both squads, this opener is a culture check. Alabama is adjusting to life without Nick Saban. Kalen DeBoer got the Tide to 9-4 last year, but expectations in Tuscaloosa aren’t about bowl games—they’re about banners. Jalen Milroe’s in the league now, so DeBoer has to pick his new field general. Ty Simpson is the favorite, but with 50 career pass attempts, he’s still green.

Florida State, meanwhile, is trying to climb out of a crater. The Norvell era hit rock bottom in 2024. Two wins. That’s not just a rebuild—that’s life support. So what do they do? Bring in Gus Malzahn to run the offense, Tony White for the defense, and Thomas Castellanos to stir the pot. It’s a high-risk, high-chaos reboot.

And the chaos factor? That’s where Castellanos thrives. Alabama’s DC Kane Wommack already knows what’s coming. “Athletic quarterback. I played for Gus Malzahn. I know how Gus does things from a quarterback-run game. Mike Norvell does the same thing. So those are the things that you kind of have to be aware of that everybody has an element to that in their game.” Translation: Wommack sees the storm and is already prepping the ark.

But don’t sleep on the heat. FSU insider Taylor Devers threw a wild one into the ring: he says hydration could be the edge. Sounds goofy until you remember the 2019 FSU-Boise State meltdown. Noon kickoff. Brutal humidity. FSU had a 31-13 lead and then got cooked—literally—losing 36-31. Players wilted. Taggart blamed water.

Devers was in the stands for that horror show. “One of the hottest games I’ve ever attended,” he said. Drenched in sweat, watching the Seminoles collapse under the sun. And guess what? It’s shaping up to be déjà vu for Alabama. That Tallahassee August heat is no joke. Devers thinks it’ll be the deciding factor this time—just in FSU’s favor. Now, not everybody’s buying the underdog hype….

Brad Crawford at 247Sports has Bama cruising to a 34-17 win. “Considering last year’s disappointing finish, Alabama is a marked program,” he wrote. “Most are anticipating a rebound.” That’s fair. But this isn’t last year. Alabama’s unproven. FSU’s unpredictable. And when you mix in the sun, revenge, and a QB with bad intentions? That’s a recipe for some real Week 1 madness. No primetime? Fine. The sun might be out, but so is the smoke. And Florida State? They’re looking to cook something up.