What? You thought Alabama was going to let its losing streak stretch to two games and 237 days? You thought the SEC's current and traditional power would allow another ACC upstart to strut its stuff in the Crimson Tide's face?
You thought Jimbo Fisher was going to school Nick Saban? Seriously?
You must not be from around here.
The more the names on those crimson jerseys change, the more some things remain the same.
Alabama doesn't lose season-opening games, Alabama doesn't lose anywhere in Atlanta and Saban doesn't lose to his former assistants. A good Florida State team eventually buckled under the weight of those trends, and Alabama's 2017 edition left a special 24-7 first impression.
It was special because the defense allowed just seven points. That's one point for every one of last season's defensive regulars lost to the first four rounds of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Exit Marlon Humphrey, Jonathan Allen, Reuben Foster, Ryan Anderson, Dalvin Tomlinson, Tim Williams and Eddie Jackson. Enter Josh Frazier knocking down passes - Up goes Frazier! - Mack Wilson rattling FSU's cage with a key pick and Raekwon Davis whistling through the line for a big sack.
Minkah Fitzpatrick resumed his role as everybody's All-American. Shaun Dion Hamilton returned as a force of nature.
Alabama's 11th straight season-opening win under Saban, his 11th victory in 11 meetings with his former pupils, was special because the Crimson Tide offense wasn't. New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll hasn't yet unlocked Jalen Hurts' inner Tom Brady, despite his picture-perfect TD pass to Calvin Ridley, and neither five-star running back Bo Scarbrough nor five-star running back Najee Harris provided any highlights.
Florida State's defense will shackle more big names. Fortunately for Alabama, five-star running back Damien Harris was there to pick up the slack.
As happens too often - see the second half of the national championship heartbreak against Clemson - Harris became a missing person in a crowded room after he rumbled for 34 yards on the season's first snap.
He must've decided that if Daboll wouldn't give him the ball, he'd go get it himself. Harris blocked the punt that led to the field goal that gave Alabama a 13-7 lead late in the third quarter.
Only at Alabama does a third-year, five-star, starting running back block a punt to change a game.
That play so rattled the Seminoles that FSU's Keith Gavin made not one but three mistakes on the ensuing kickoff: Catching it, running with it and fumbling it away. Alabama true freshman Dylan Moses, who recovered the punt Harris had just blocked, caused this fumble, which teammate Keith Holcombe secured.
On the next play, Daboll remembered Damien Harris is a running back, too, and the junior crashed through the FSU defense for 11 yards and the decisive score.
If you're scoring at home, Alabama's special teams proved to be the most special unit of all. As if a blocked punt and a kickoff return turnover weren't enough, Fitzpatrick blocked a field goal at the end of the first half that would've tied the game at 10.
Welcome back, special teams coordinator Joe Pannunzio.
It remains to be seen whether Florida State really is No. 3 in the country or simply No. 2 in the ACC. As for No. 1 Alabama, the Tide may not be the reigning national champion, but 60 minutes of rock 'em, sock 'em, old-school football in the shiny, new Mercedes-Benz Stadium made a point.
The old champ is going to put up a fight to take back his title.
Both the SEC championship and the national championship will be decided right here. Don't be surprised when Alabama returns to take a swing at both.