Staff Predictions: No. 14 Florida State Seminoles vs. East Texas A&M

Caziah Holmes scores on a 4-yard TD run vs Alabama 8/30/2025

The 14th-ranked Florida State Seminoles will play their second of three season-opening home games at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday against the East Texas A&M Lions. Kickoff is scheduled for Noon and will be televised on the ACCN.

Florida State (1-0, 0-0 ACC) and East Texas A&M (0-1, 0-0 Southland) are meeting for the first time. ETAM will be the 12th opponent in FSU history from Texas. Since 1975, the Seminoles are 7-4 against teams from Texas. The Lions are playing their first game in Florida since

1974, when they tied Bethune-Cookman 7-7 in the Central Florida Classic in Orlando.

Florida State went from unranked to No. 14 with its double-digit win over 8th-ranked Alabama last week. The victory over the Tide was the first time an unranked FSU team beat an AP Top-10 opponent since the Noles’ win over then 2nd-ranked Boston College in November 2007.

The Seminoles rushed for 230 yards against Alabama, the most by an FSU team against a Top-10 opponent since the loss to Clemson in October 2022. The win also marked FSU’s ninth victory over an SEC opponent in the last 10 seasons, ranking second in the country, while serving up Alabama their first non-conference regular-season road loss since 2003.

In his first start for FSU, QB Tommy Castellanos threw for 152 yards and rushed for a team-high 78 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Daniel Lyons recorded a sack and a forced fumble against Alabama. The FSU defense recorded three sacks as a team in the win.

East Texas A&M will be facing its second straight ranked ACC opponent, after falling 42-13 at SMU last week. Some ETAM names you will hear during the game include QB Ron Peace, who returns for his second season under center. Expect him to try to target WR Christian Jourdain, who returns with 683 receiving yards and six TDs from last season. On defense, LB Kyree Anderson returns after racking up 96 tackles, one INT, and two FF’s last season.

In June 2025, ETAM received approval from the NCAA to transition to become a full NCAA Division I member and is immediately eligible for postseason events this season.

In the meantime, enjoy these highlights from last week’s dominating win over the Alabama Tides.

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Curt Weiler (season record: 0-1)

It’s safe to say that I may have never been more shocked by an FSU football result in my 10+ years on the beat than I was by last Saturday’s win. Not only did the Seminoles beat Alabama, they dominated them physically. It’s fair to wonder exactly how much one should adjust their season expectations accordingly based on that one result. That’s for down the line, though.

These next three weeks, FSU gets a reprieve of sorts with an FCS opponent, a bye week and a game against quite possibly the worst FBS team. As is often the case with these FCS games, the goal this week is to get the starters out of the game by about halftime and let some freshmen get playing time, especially since it seems more true freshmen are going to be in the rotation this season.

FSU 52, ETAM 10

Jordan Silversmith (season record: 0-1)

Well, I certainly missed the mark last week. Florida State bullied Alabama en route to a 14-point victory that left head coach Mike Norvell “pissed off” it wasn’t by more. The players and coaching staff have said all the right things this week about putting Saturday’s win behind them and getting ready for their next opponent. This week’s opponent is East Texas A&M, a school from Commerce, Texas, which SMU thoroughly defeated 42-13 in week one.

While FCS matchups have not exactly been a Mike Norvell specialty, the team seems to be bringing the right mindset to the week, and the coaches want to expand on their depth they did not use a week ago. I expect more of the ground & pound we saw last week, along with Tony White’s defense getting to display the true value of the 3-3-5 after going with four down linemen often against Alabama. Florida State, like last week, is ready to play and takes care of business as the Noles build momentum into their bye week.

FSU 45, ETAM 6

NoleThruandThru (season record: 0—1)

Three goals for this game, the way I see it:
A) Strike a good balance of starters putting together strong drives and making sure lots of depth players get meaningful reps.
2) Try to get out of the game as healthy as possible.
D) Force multiple turnovers and get a defensive touchdown.

FSU: 52, Other team: 10

Tim Scribble (season record: 0—1)

Well, last week it felt good to be wrong. This week it would be a disaster to be wrong. FSU should win by a lot. How the Seminoles play a lesser opponent will be a key insight into the program after last week’s emotional win.

FSU 45, ETAM 10

Matt Minnick (season record: 0-1; 1-0 ATS)

There’s bound to be some let down and that’s okay. Humans can’t perform at their peak every time out so I’d rather have A performances against Bama and Clemson than tomato cans. All that said, the differentiator between good teams and great teams can often be seen in how they perform against overmatched opponents.

Even our 2013 team started a couple games with a score like 7-0 in the first, but by halftime it was 42-3. Which is exactly how you avoid injury and build depth. I think veterans like Tommy C and Luke P have the boys ready and the Seminoles lead by 35 early in the third. Four different ‘Noles score a rushing touchdown.

FSU 48, East Texas A&M 14

Frank DeÑole (season record: 1-0)

You can include me in the group of knowledgeable Seminole fans who believe Norvell purposely held back and used the Alabama game as a glorified scrimmage and warm-up for this week’s match-up against the Lions. We shall see if that strategy pays off this Saturday at high Noon against this scrappy group from Eastern Texas.

Hopefully, FSU should be able to start substituting in the second-team players for the starters before halftime, especially the offensive line players. I expect Brock Glenn will get most of the snaps in the 3rd when we are deep into garbage time, and I’d like to see some of this Kevin Sperry fella in the 4th.

FSU Seminoles 55, EATEM 17

Jon Marchant (season record: 0-1)

Week 1 was incredible. Let’s see them repeat that level of physicality and execution even against an overmatched opponent.
East Texas 6, FSU 48

Perry Kostidakis (season record: 0-1)

It’s funny what a season-opening dominant win will do for previously tampered expectations. Now, after FSU showcased its potential in a game that arguably should have been an actual blowout rather than a moral one, I’m going to be moderately let down if over its next two games against East Texas A&M and Kent State, Florida State doesn’t put up over 90 points combined.

Let Tommy cook for the first half and then get everybody out of there — I’m looking forward to some of the standout freshmen getting some shine, seeing what Brock Glenn and Kevin Sperry have to show and Kam Davis maybe getting a bit of confidence back with a chance to get some late-game snaps.

FSU 51, East Texas A&M 6

Florida State Seminoles vs. East Texas A&M

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