ATLANTA _ Florida State's 2017 season got off to the worst way imaginable against Alabama on Saturday night.
Three special team blunders followed by two interceptions put the game out of reach.
Then quarterback Deondre Francois, a junior, suffered a left knee injury that could have put his season, and the Seminoles College Football Playoff aspirations, in jeopardy.
The No. 3 Seminoles suffered 24-7 loss to No. 1 Alabama in front of 76,330 people at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the first game between two top-three teams since 1950.
But FSU has bigger concerns on its hands without its star quarterback in Francois, who played poorly but showed signs of brilliance in the only scoring drive he led for the Seminoles against the vaunted Crimson Tide.
Francois rolled out of the pocket late in the fourth quarter with the game well out of reach, and was brought down by Alabama's Ronnie Harrison, slamming his left knee on the pavement.
Francois instantly clutched his left knee, and was helped by trainers off the field without putting any weight on his leg. He later used crutches with a heavy knee brace, and was carted back to the locker room in the final minutes of the game.
True freshman quarterback James Blackman replaced Francois to finish the game.
Florida State plays Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. in Doak Campbell Stadium.
