There’s not a player across college football more confident ahead of his team’s season opener than Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who continued his offseason torching of Alabama on Wednesday at ACC Kickoff.
Who could’ve seen a triple-down coming during talking season?
“We stand on what I said, so I said what I said,” Castellanos said. “We stand on that. I don’t mean no disrespect to none of those guys at Alabama or anything like that, it’s just I have confidence in my guys and the work we’ve been putting in, the preparation we’ve been putting together.
“That’s all that was. No disrespect to those guys, but we stand on what I said.”
Castellanos’ previous comments poked the bear in Tuscaloosa, however.
“It definitely ignites us a little bit,” Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson said during SEC Media Days. “We can’t really think too much on that. It’s gonna come down to what we do and how we prepare that week. I think all disrespect will be addressed accordingly.”
Earlier this summer, Castellanos proclaimed Alabama was a shell of its former self, saying “they don’t have Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me.”
Alabama finished 9-4 last season in coach Kalen DeBoer’s first campaign, failing to reach the College Football Playoff before losing to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Touting his past production at Boston College, Castellanos claimed that he “tore the ACC up by my damn self” and warned that Florida State acquired numerous “weapons” this offseason after finishing near the bottom nationally in scoring offense last season. Former UCF coach Gus Malzahn is at the controls offensively, too.
Alabama is currently a 13.5-point favorite against Florida State, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The two teams will meet on Aug. 30 at 3:30 PM ET inside the recently-renovated Doak Campbell Stadium during one of Week 1’s top matchups.
Castellanos previously said his words against the Crimson Tide were more so meant to motivate his teammates.
“You watch any interview, I don’t ever talk like that,” Castellanos said, per Noles247. “Them boys coming off of 2-10. I’ve just got to instill some confidence. That’s all I’m trying to do. I’m just trying to get some confidence — I’m trying to get my boys ready to go. I’m trying to make it the biggest game possible.”
Over the last two seasons at Boston College, Castellanos started 20 games with 3,614 yards passing, 33 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,307 yards and 14 scores.
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