Greg McElroy defends Florida State vs. Alabama as a Top 10 non-conference game in 2025

As the 2025 season fast approaches, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy is running down the list of some of the top non-conference games on the schedule. And Alabama and Florida State have made his cut for the top 10.

That matchup will be an intriguing one for a few reasons, not the least of which is that both are coming off somewhat disappointing 2024 campaigns. Of course, the degree to which each disappointed varies widely.

“At No. 7, Alabama at Florida State. This will be Week 1,” McElroy explained. “Another great non-conference game. These teams have played in the non-conference before, but most of the time it’s been a neutral site. The last two matchups between Alabama and Florida State — 2017, that game was played in Atlanta. 2007 that game was played in Jacksonville.”

In the last two meetings, the programs have split the difference. Alabama won in 2017 by a 24-7 score. But in 2007, Florida State won 21-14.

McElroy further dove into the rest of the history of the series between Alabama and Florida State. There isn’t much of it.

“Prior to that there were three games played in Tuscaloosa and/or Birmingham,” he said. “All three were ‘Bama home games. 1965, 1967 and 1974. That was back in the Florida State era of anywhere, anytime, anyplace. Didn’t matter.”

Alabama claimed two of the three meetings, while the third (in 1967) ended in a 37-37 shootout tie. But there’s something different about this year’s matchup, McElroy pointed out.

“This will be ‘Bama’s first trip to Tallahassee,” he said. “And knowing what happened two years ago, when Alabama was in the playoff, Florida State was left out, I would imagine there will be some bad blood on the side of the Seminoles when Alabama runs through the tunnel there at Doak Campbell in Tallahassee.”

Florida State, of course, is coming off a two-win season. It’ll be an uphill climb for the Seminoles, then, with the current line set at Alabama -12.5.

Still, McElroy has it as one of his top 10 non-conference games of the year. It checks in at No. 7.