FSU QB not afraid of Bama: 'They don't have Nick Saban to save them'
Thomas Castellanos has sky-high expectations in his first year at Florida State, and the Seminoles quarterback doesn't think Alabama will be able to stop him when they face off in their season opener Aug. 30.
"I'm excited," Castellanos recently said about the matchup, according to On3's Pete Nakos. " ... I dreamed of moments like this. I dreamed of playing against Alabama. They don't have Nick Saban to save them. I just don't see them stopping me."
He added: "I hope people don't think that Florida State is going to be the same team it was last year because we have weapons. People can't just sit back in zone coverage and watch me."
Castellanos joined Florida State after spending the previous two seasons at Boston College. He completed only 58.7% of his passes for 3,614 yards and 33 touchdowns against 19 interceptions with the Eagles while also adding 14 TDs on the ground.
In Tallahassee, Castellanos is reuniting with Gus Malzahn, his head coach at UCF in 2022 who's now Florida State's offensive coordinator. The Seminoles added Malzahn to Mike Norvell's staff after posting a 2-10 record in 2024.
"He's just giving me the keys and allowing me to just be me," Castellanos said of Malzahn. "Just go out there and play football within the offense. That's what I need. I don't need a dog collar or a leash on me. I just need coach to say, 'Just go be you. Go play.' That's what I was missing."
He added: "I feel like I have the skill set to be one of the best. Now I just have to turn this thing around for these guys, for this community, this fan base and the staff. I'm not just playing for Florida State. I'm playing for coaches who are fathers and who have homes and families here. I'm trying to save jobs and win."
Castellanos is optimistic that the Seminoles - who won the ACC in 2023 - can be contenders again with him under center. He can see himself fighting for the Heisman Trophy, too.
"We need to get back to that mentality of ACC championship, to a good playoff run, to a national championship," Castellanos said. "But for me, I know I have the skill set to be a Heisman contender. To be up in New York."