Alabama fell short of expectations in year one without Nick Saban. New head coach Kalen DeBoer only managed to earn a 9-4 record, and the Crimson Tide missed out on the playoffs. Speaking of coming up short, Florida State had one of the most disappointing seasons in college football history. The Seminoles only managed to win two games, raising doubts about the direction of the program.
In this battle between college football giants, who will step up? These are the best college football player props to consider at DraftKings Sportsbook for the Week 1 matchup between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida State Seminoles.
Alabama enters this contest as 13.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 48.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Alabama vs. Florida State best prop bets
Richard Young 60+ rushing yards (-113)
Florida State’s defense was awful on a number of levels in 2024. If there was a chief offender for the Seminoles, it was their run game. The team surrendered 196.3 rushing yards per game to opponents, the 24th-worst mark in the nation. In seven of its 12 contests, FSU surrendered at least 6.0 yards per carry. There should be improvement under new defensive coordinator Tony White. Still, it’s difficult to envision this group suddenly dominating opposing backfields.
No matter who is at head coach, Alabama will always prioritize running the ball. That should be the case on Saturday, especially with quarterback Ty Simpson making his first collegiate start. The best way to support a passer is on the ground, a fact DeBoer is certainly aware of. It helps that the Tide will be welcoming back most of their offensive line from last season. Richard Young is poised to emerge as Bama’s lead rusher with starter Jam Miller (collarbone) injured. As a redshirt freshman, Young ran for 146 yards on just 27 attempts (5.4 YPC). With a much bigger workload, expect the running back to have success in this one.
Thomas Castellanos 26+ rushing yards (-132)
Unsurprisingly, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell was active in the transfer portal this offseason. In the process, he may have found the next great Seminoles quarterback. Thomas Castellanos is an experienced ACC passer, having spent most of his career at Boston College. During that time, he immediately helped turn the Golden Eagles from also-ran to competitive. Now, he joins an FSU squad in desperate need of play making under center.
Castellanos’ time at BC turned ugly last season. Head coach Bill O’Brien utilized a pro-style scheme, taking away what his own quarterback did best: running the ball. As a sophomore, Castellanos picked up 1,113 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, displaying elite dual-threat abilities. Unlike Boston College, Florida State is expected to make full use of their signal caller’s skillset. New Seminoles offensive coordinator and former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn has plenty of familiarity against Alabama. The play caller knows that the best way to take down the Tide is through a running quarterback.
Five different QBs managed to gain at least 40 rushing yards against Bama in 2024. In addition, star defensive tackle Tim Keenan (ankle) has already been ruled out for the Crimson Tide. Keeping that in mind, Castellanos should have ample opportunity to make some serious gains on the ground.
