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Ex-UCF Quarterback Puts Alabama on Notice With Blunt Message

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jonathan D Adams | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 1:44 PM ET

The UCF Knights have their own ongoing quarterback battle, but one of the team's former signal-callers is grabbing college football headlines for potentially the wrong reasons. UCF fans will be keeping an eye on the Florida State Seminoles this season and now the rest of the college football world will be as well as the team opens the season against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Former head coach Gus Malzahn surprisingly bolted Orlando, Fla., to take the offensive coordinator role with the Noles following the 2024 season. Malzahn was a major factor in Florida State landing former UCF quarterback Thomas Castellanos.

The playmaking signal-caller moved to Tallahassee, Fla, this offseason via the transfer portal after two seasons with the Boston College Eagles.

Castellanos played in five games for the Knights during his freshman season at UCF in 2022. Now, Castellanos made some surprising comments about Florida State battling Alabama on Aug. 30.

NEW: Florida State QB Thomas Castellanos tells @PeteNakos_ he's dreamed of playing against Alabama

"They don't have Nick Saban to save them. I just don't see them stopping me."https://t.co/emSKxktkB1 pic.twitter.com/MMz1I6a4OT
— On3 (@On3sports) June 23, 2025

The Noles quarterback does not see Alabama "stopping me" in the season opener.

“I’m excited, man,” Castellanos told On3's Pete Nakos in an interview on Monday. “People, I don’t know if they know, but you go back and watch every first game that I played in, we always start fast. I dreamed of moments like this.

"I dreamed of playing against Alabama. They don’t have Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me."

Future is bright for UCF and the Big 12

True Freshman - Thomas Castellanos lit it up in his couple of drives vs Temple

6 for 6 passing for 60 yards
3 rushes for 88 yards & 1 Touchdown

Love the cuts on his long run and knocking a defender over to get a touchdown pic.twitter.com/OEteOowPI4
— James Matthew Hill ⚽️ (@OverTheHillUK) October 15, 2022

Both Florida State and Castellanos are looking for a bounce back opportunity in 2025. The Seminoles are coming off a 2-10 season, while Castellanos was part of a musical chairs situation at quarterback with Boston College in 2024.

Castellanos threw for 1,366 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 61.5% of his passes during eight appearances in 2024. Potentially angering Alabama's defense is an interesting way to start his Florida State tenure.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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