Johnny Manziel Brutally Shades Alabama After Loss to Florida State

Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide did not get off to a good start to the 2025 college football season. Despite entering this week as a favorite against the Florida State Seminoles, nothing went right for them and they ended up losing by a final score of 31-17.

Entering the 2025 season, DeBoer was facing a lot of pressure. He has been named as a coach who could already be on the hot seat.

What happened against Florida State will not help his cause.

Throughout the course of the game, Alabama looked completely flat. The team did not have much fire to them and the Crimson Tide was never able to match the level of physicality the Seminoles played with.

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Following the game, former star Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel spoke out and brutally shaded Alabama.

“Nobody is scared of them boys,” Manziel said. “Nobody is walking in seeing Alabama on the schedule and having any fear.”

Ty Simpson completed 23 of his 43 passes for 254 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. It wasn’t a great game, but it wasn’t horrible either. Outside of that performance, there was nothing to be too thrilled about.

Defensively, the Crimson Tide had no answer for Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos. He threw for 152 yards while completing nine of his 14 passes. Castellanos also ran for 78 yards and a touchdown on 16 attempts.

DeBoer will need to get the ship righted quickly. If he allows Alabama to struggle through the entire 2025 season like the team did in 2024, there is a legitimate chance that the program could consider heading in a different direction.

Next week, the Crimson Tide will face a much easier opponent. Alabama will face off against UL Monroe in its home opener.

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While that game should be an obvious win, the Crimson Tide simply cannot take the game for granted. A loss in Week 2 would effectively end their College Football Playoff hopes.

Expect to see a long week of shade and criticism surrounding Alabama football. Losing to the Seminoles was not a good start, but it certainly doesn’t end their hopes of being a playoff team at the end of the year.

Fans will just have to wait and see if the Crimson Tide can shake off the rust and work their way back into the playoff picture in the coming weeks.

For more on the Alabama Crimson Tide and for more college football news, head to Newsweek Sports.