Florida State vs. Alabama Expert Picks for Saturday: College Football Week 3 Predictions

Saturday’s showdown brings us one of the most intriguing games of the college football season so far, and we have you covered with our Florida State vs. Alabama expert picks. The Florida State Seminoles travel to Tuscaloosa to take on the No. 10 Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

This is exactly what college football’s biggest nonconference matchups are made for. Alabama enters the game ranked No. 10 nationally with a 2-0 record, while Florida State comes in at 1-1. The Seminoles won last year’s meeting 31-17, adding another layer to Saturday’s matchup.

🏈 Florida State vs. Alabama expert picks: College football Saturday

See all of our experts' college football picks for Week 3 based on the latest college football odds.

Mike Spector's pick: Florida State +19.5 (-110)

Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell wasn’t named the starter until two weeks before the season began, so it is unfair to expect him to be playing at his highest level or to his full potential two weeks in. But he is going to keep opponents in football games if he doesn’t clean up his ball security, and his three first-half turnovers were a big reason the Crimson Tide trailed Kentucky 17-13 at halftime last week.

Florida State’s quirky Labor Day game in Week 1 gave it 12 days to prepare for this matchup. It is a respectable 8-6-2 ATS against ranked opponents under Mike Norvell since 2020, and has covered 60% of its games when at a rest advantage over the last three seasons. By comparison, Alabama is just 2-5-1 ATS with a rest disadvantage in that same time frame.

Florida State got as high as +20.5 earlier in the week, so I wouldn't put anyone off waiting to see if public money on Alabama later in the week moves the line. I would play the Seminoles down to +19.

See Mike Spector's full analysis in his Florida State vs. Alabama predictions.

LJ Blut's pick: Ryan Coleman-Williams anytime TD (-105)

Ryan Coleman-Williams is my favorite touchdown scorer in Alabama’s matchup with Florida State. The junior receiver enters Saturday as the Crimson Tide’s leading receiver with 173 yards through two games, including a 130-yard performance against East Carolina. His big-play ability makes him a constant threat whenever Alabama reaches scoring range.

Coleman-Williams averaged 19.2 yards per reception early this season, giving him the explosiveness to turn one opportunity into six points. With Alabama likely to lean on its passing game, I expect Coleman-Williams to find the end zone against the Seminoles.

See LJ Blut's full analysis in his Florida State vs. Alabama touchdown scorer pick.

Brenden Schaeffer's pick: Keelon Russell Under 258.5 passing yards (-114)

Keelon Russell hasn’t exactly been Joe Namath so far for the Crimson Tide. Bama might find leaning on his arm more optimal this week considering just how bad FSU’s pass defense has been, but I still expect Alabama to prioritize the run in a balanced attack.

Alabama is a run-first team as Russell gets into the swing of the season. His passing line seems high for a QB who hasn’t hit it in either of his starts. FanDuel is the only spot we’re seeing the ability to wager Under on Russell’s total, so that’s the place for the parlay.

See Brenden Schaeffer's full analysis in his Florida State vs. Alabama same-game parlay.

📺 How to watch Florida State vs. Alabama: Week 3

• Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
• Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium (Tuscaloosa, AL.)
• Streaming: ABC

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