Florida State is in search of a new athletic director after the university fired Michael Alford on Monday, Sep. 14, four years after he was hired.
The move was made by FSU president Richard McCullough, who said the Seminoles' athletic program needs to better position itself for the future of collegiate athletics. When he spoke with the media Monday morning, McCullough gave insight into what FSU is looking for in its next athletic director.
He placed a value on business acumen and cited the need for success in revenue generation, while also being savvy enough to navigate the complexities of modern collegiate sports, particularly football.
While no move is imminent, here are a few names that make our initial FSU AD hot board.
Dickey has led the Broncos since 2021, and during his time as the program's athletic director, ***** ey has had a huge impact on revenue generation for the program. That's an area that McCullough highlighted as being important to the Seminoles next AD when speaking to the media after Alford's firing. ***** ey, named the 2025 National ***** ociation of Collegiate Directors of Athletics AD of the year, has overseen Boise State's transition from the Mountain West into the reimagined Pac-12, which would suit FSU and the university's potential interest in departing the ACC.

#Athletic #collegiate

Florida State football rumors: Is Jimbo Fisher an option to replace Mike Norvell if he's fired? appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Florida State Seminoles fired Michael Alford as athletic director on Monday. After the University made its final decision to switch things up for its future in sports, rumors began swirling around Mike Norvell's job security as the head coach of the football program. The rumors have already gotten to the point that there is now some buzz that Jimbo Fisher could reprise his role as the Seminoles' head coach if Norvell were to be let go.
While that may be the case, Florida State President Richard McCullough didn't provide much details about Norvell's position. When asked firing the athletic director means for the 44-year-old head coach's future with the program, McCullough claimed that FSU is simply focused on winning, according to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.
"Nobody wants to win more than Mike Norvell," McCullough said. "College coaches are in the winning business. That's what we're working on."
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#rumors #head #jimbo

Florida State Athletics has moved on from Athletic Director Michael Alford after four years leading the program, and the news has taken the Seminoles fanbase by surprise.
While Alford's dismissal itself isn't a surprise given the recent underperformance of the Seminoles football program under head coach Mike Norvell, the timing of the firing was a shock. His firing was announced Monday morning, and it comes the week of FSU's trip to face No. 10 Alabama, a game of significance for the future of Norvell.
Alford's tenure included significant accomplishments across FSU athletics and several marquee coaching hires. Yet the struggles of the football program under Norvell since 2024, an 8-18 record, have overshadowed much of that success, emerging as the most prominent challenge of his time as athletics director.
He also faced scrutiny regarding the department's handling of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and roster funding, particularly in football, and the department's massive debt.
(Current Record 1-1, 0-1 ACC)

#record #surprise

Even though it's only Week 2, Florida State's (1-1, 0-1) bye week could not have come at a better time.
The Seminoles looked lethargic against New Mexico State in Week 0 before being clearly the worst team against SMU on Labor Day, with the Seminoles unable to capitalize on winning the turnover margin, essentially by a 4-0 margin.
"Just another close game," head coach Mike Norvell told the local Tallahassee media after the Noles' first defeat on Monday. "A lot of one plays, and you think back through it, some of the explosive plays that we had, that we gave up defensively, some missed opportunities there offensively."
Norvell's job status looms over the program, but the Seminoles have red flags all over the roster right now. Unfortunately for them, there will be no rest for the weary. After the bye week, FSU travels to Tuscaloosa to take on a 12th-ranked Alabama team looking for revenge after the Seminoles' stunning Week 1 upset last year in Tallahassee.
It might get worse before it gets better, as evidenced by these three concerning stats from the opening two weeks of Florida State's season.

#week #Florida #Margin #Mexico

No. 18 Florida State hosted NC State Friday evening in its first ACC matchup of the season, ending the night with a 2-2 draw.
The Seminoles move to 4-1-2 on the season, while the Wolfpack move to 7-0-2.
FSU goalkeeper Kate Ockene entered the matchup after being named ACC Goalkeeper of the Week for her performance against Rice on Sunday.
Florida State's starting lineup featured Ockene in goal; Olivia Page and Claire Rain on the back line; Shaneil Buckley, Peyton McGovern, Joelle Jung and Sam Erbach in the midfield; and Nyah Rose, Tanner Strickland, Wrianna Hudson and Ryder Ajeto up front.
The Seminoles were still without Bridget Mutipula, Janet Okeke and Nyanya Touray, who are competing in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

#goalkeeper

Shaneil Buckely scored once and **** isted another to lead No. 18 Florida State soccer to a 2-2 tie with North Carolina State in both programs' ACC opener at Seminole Soccer Complex on Friday, Sep. 11.
The Seminoles (4-1-2) twice came back from a goal down to earn the draw, with Buckley at the heart of it.
FSU trailed 1-0 almost immediately, as Erica Roberts scored the opener for the Wolfpack in the second minute. Roberts cut off the right wing, dribbled inside, and launched a shot from outside the box that arrowed into the top left corner.
FSU trailed for 20 minutes before Buckley sent in a cross from the right wing to find a leaping Wrianna Hudson, who headed home her third goal of the season to tie the game at one. Despite chances on both ends, the game remained tied going into halftime.
While it took longer than the opening goal of the game, the Wolfpack regained the lead quickly in the second half thanks to a 57th-minute goal from Daisy Duda. She bent a ball across the penalty area and into the top left corner to put NC State ahead 2-1.

#state #roberts #lead

FSU baseball's 2027 season may be a few months away, but they are gearing up for a revenge tour after being sent home in the Tallahassee Regional. With that comes the release of their fall baseball special events that the team will host in the month of October, with the Seminoles announcing the schedule on Thursday.
They will take on the North Florida Ospreys on Friday, Oct. 16, at 5 p.m. in their Friday Night Lights event. The Seminoles are 15-4 lifetime against UNF.
Then, on Saturday, Oct. 17 is another game against UNF, but this will also include the Fan Day Postgame. The game begins at 1 p.m. Finally, FSU will host its Garnet and Gold All-Star Game on Friday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m.
The Seminoles will also participate in a fall ball game against the Auburn Tigers in Pensacola on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 2:00 p.m.
All of these events are either exhibitions or special events and will not count towards the Seminoles' overall or ACC record in the upcoming 2027 season. To learn more information or buy tickets, you can click here.

#game #Events #saturday #tallahassee

The Austin Spurs announced Thursday the hiring of the 12th head coach in franchise history.
Chris Kent will guide the Spurs' G League team in 2026-27 after serving as ******* istant coach and director of player development at Florida State during the 2025-26 season. Kent helped the Seminoles to an 18-15 finish that included a 10-8 showing in ACC play.
Kent also has experience in the G League, most recently spending two seasons from 2023-25 as an ******* istant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers' Rip City Remix, according to an Austin Spurs press release.
Kent began his coaching career as an intern with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the former G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers, from 2013-15 before joining Florida State as a graduate ******* istant. He also served as director of player development at South Florida during the 2017-18 season before joining the Chicago Bulls in 2018 as an intern.
The Bulls promoted Kent to video coordinator in 2019. He spent three seasons in that role before serving as an ******* istant coach with the G League's Windy City Bulls during the 2022-23 season.

#austin

Four-star athlete Za'Kari Johnson is one of Florida State football's top commits in the 2027 recruiting cycle, but they will have to keep fighting to hold onto his commitment. He visited the Texas A&M Aggies last weekend, and on Thursday he will be visiting the Miami Hurricanes, according to On3's EJ Holland.
"I just want to see Miami football," Johnson said. "Miami has always been my dream school. Being a kid from South Florida, I look up to all the greats. I've seen them ball. It motivates me."
Johnson is ranked as the No. 296 overall player and No. 9 athlete in the Rivals industry ranking. He is also the No. 27 player from Florida. He explained what he needs to see from the Seminoles for him to stay committed.
"(My commitment) stands good right now," Johnson said. "I need them to win, though. I need them to ball… I love Mike (Norvell). I hope he can stay. A lot of people say he might not stay. But I hope he can stay, so I can go there."
FSU and Miami appear to be headed in very different directions one week into the 2026 season. The Hurricanes are 1-0 and national ******* le contenders, while the Seminoles are 1-1 and Mike Norvell is fighting for his job. Miami also has another advantage in their pursuit of Johnson, he is teammates with five-star Miami wide receiver commit Nick Lennear, who would surely love to play with him at the next level.

#Miami #seminoles #athlete

Mike Norvell's tenure as Florida State football's head coach has been nothing short of a roller coaster.
The Seminoles have gone 39-35 in seven seasons under Norvell and are currently in a multi-season stretch in which the program is 8-18. That run includes a 2-10 season in 2024 and a 5-7 season in 2025. A far cry from the heights of 2023 when FSU went 13-0 in the regular season and won the ACC ****** le before being snubbed from the College Football Playoff.
It's altered the trajectory of Norvell's career, who was once considered to replace Nick Saban at Alabama following his retirement and was widley considered one of the sports best young coaches. The now 44-year-old sits on arguably the hottest seat in the country and is fresh off a 27-24 loss to No. 19 SMU, where he and his team were routinely greeted with boo's from fans at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Sitting at 1-1, FSU faces a stretch of games that will see the program visit the Crimson Tide before games against Virginia, Louisville and Miami in October.
The road doesn't get easier for Norvell, so if the Seminoles elect to part ways with the embattled head coach, here's what it'll cost.

#coach #stretch #program #games

You've got to hand it to Miami: The Hurricanes' social media team nailed this post on X (formerly Twitter) after Florida State dealt with a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium on Monday night that delayed the Seminoles' contest against SMU.
The game eventually started at 9:15 p.m. ET with some limits that included no PA announcer and no use of the scoreboard.
Miami's admins decided to have some fun with it with a simple tweet: "The lights are ON at our house," they wrote. "See YOU at Hard Rock [Stadium] on Thursday."
Boom, roasted. Here's the post Miami put up:
Some people did point out that Hard Rock technically isn't only their house with the NFL's Miami Dolphins playing there, but that's beside the point. This is some good ol' fashioned social media trolling and we're here for it.

#stadium #hard #Media

The FSU Seminoles fell to the SMU Mustangs 27-24 on Monday in Doak Campbell Stadium, and their fans are fed up with the team and Mike Norvell. It was a winnable game for Florida State, but they once again found ways to lose.
Since their 13-1 season in 2023, when they won the ACC and nearly made the College Football Playoff, FSU has gone 8-18 overall and 3-17 in conference play under Norvell. That has caused numerous fans to call for his job, but that is not an easy move.
While their performance over the past two-plus seasons has been well below FSU's standards, it will be expensive to move on from Norvell. According to Craig Myers of USA TODAY Sports, his buyout is $46.7 million if he is fired before Dec. 1, 2026.
If FSU does decide to fire Norvell, his buyout would be the third-biggest in college football history, behind only the $76.8 million the Texas A&M Aggies paid Jimbo Fisher and the $54 million the LSU Tigers paid Brian Kelly. The Seminoles paid Willie Taggart $18 million when they fired him during the 2029 season.
FSU signed Mike Norvell to an eight-year contract worth around $84 million ahead of the 2024 season and guaranteed him that his buyout would be 85% of his remaining salary if he was fired. The deal seemed like a smart move at the time. Not only were they coming off their 13-1 performance in 2023, but the Alabama Crimson Tide were considering hiring him to replace Nick Saban.

#paid #mike

Florida State football news: Mike Norvell's honest ******* sment after SMU loss appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Following two straight disappointing seasons, Florida State football had an opportunity to gain significant momentum by earning an ACC victory over a ranked opponent. One can even say that the program needed this one. The Seminoles were unable to break through, however, and remain mired in uncertainty heading into next Saturday's road matchup versus Alabama. Mike Norvell did not focus only on the negative, but he made sure to acknowledge his team's shortcomings.
"{Norvell} starts by thanking the facilities in getting the power back on," Alison Posey of WCTV Sports reported after Florida State's 27-24 loss to the Mustangs. "He said he thought they ran the ball really well, and they have to make plays in the passing game when the opportunities present themselves."
That is an accurate ******* sment. Ousmane Kromah logged 22 carries for 116 yards and one touchdown, while quarterback Ashton Daniels rushed 16 times for 71 yards and a score. Unfortunately, the Seminoles painfully lacked balance on offense. Daniels, who transferred from Auburn, completed 12-of-23 passes for 125 yards and one TD. He looked especially out of sorts when trying to play hero ball in the final drive of the game.
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#seminoles #daniels #sports #Football

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell and quarterback Ashton Daniels met with local media after Monday night's 27-24 loss to No. 19 SMU at Doak Campbell Stadium.
"Tonight, coming off of it, just another close game, a lot of one plays," Norvell said. "You think back through it, some of the explosive plays that we gave up defensively, some of missed opportunities there offensively. Never really got in rhythm throwing the ball, but had some good runs."
"Ashton as a runner did some good things," Norvell said. "We also got to go and be able to make plays in the passing game when opportunities present themselves. Didn't do a great job in protecting with that. There's some inconsistencies there that we got to clean up. It didn't all come together in the passing game and ultimately that's on us. We've got to get that corrected….It's a shame to come up a field goal short."
Florida State finished 2-of-15 on third down. SMU had four turnovers. The Seminoles were outgained 585-324.
"We were able to create takeaways. It's something that we knew going into the game was going to be a big factor," Norvell said. "Unfortunately, we only had seven points off takeaways, which when you get four turnovers, you need to be able to put points on the board in those situations. We did not do a good enough job of putting points on the board after turnovers."

#Florida

Florida State, despite forcing four turnovers on Monday night, was unable to pull off an upset vs. No. 19 SMU in a 27-24 loss.
It's the third straight year that FSU has lost its ACC opener. Mike Norvell is now 39-35 at FSU, with a 22-27 record in ACC play.
FSU was outgained 585-324, a large part of which was due to the Seminoles' inability to shut down the Mustangs' passing attack. Quarterback Kevin Jennings threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was a 72-yarder.
What are the main takeaways from yet another disappointing Florida State loss? The Tomahawk Nation staff breaks it down below.
What was the turning point of tonight's game?

#Florida #state #down #seminoles

Florida State hosted No. 19 SMU in an ACC matchup that got off to an unusual start Monday night.
Kickoff was delayed until 9:15 p.m. after a power outage inside the stadium. Even when play began, it wasn't a typical college football game, with no public address announcements, in-game video replay, coach-to-player audio or video board.
SMU won the coin toss before the outage and chose to receive.
The Mustangs' opening possession quickly gave Florida State an opportunity when SMU fumbled and Quindarrius Jones recovered it, giving the Seminoles their first possession of the night.https://x.com/accnetwork/s...
FSU was unable to take advantage of the early turnover, with its opening drive ending without points.

#night

Florida State spent much of Monday night chasing the game, but after battling back to tie SMU in the fourth quarter, the Seminoles could not find one final stop or scoring drive.
In a game delayed by a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium and stretched deep into the night, FSU showed more resilience than it did in its season opener. However, the same issues that have plagued the Seminoles through two games, inconsistent quarterback play, offensive line struggles and third-down defensive lapses, resurfaced in a 27-24 loss to SMU.
The Seminoles dropped to 1-1 on the season despite erasing multiple deficits and tying the game at 24 before the Mustangs answered with the decisive touchdown drive.
Here are the grades from Florida State's loss to SMU.
Daniels spent much of the night under constant pressure and rarely looked comfortable in the pocket. While there were flashes of playmaking ability, including a quarterback keeper for a touchdown and several throws into tight coverage, consistency remained an issue.

#seminoles

SMU did everything it could to give Florida State a chance to win Monday night. Instead, the Mustangs got out of Tallahassee with a 27-24 win after a 20-yard field goal from Nick Reed with 21 seconds to go.
Once the game finally started after a 100-minute delay because of a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium, it was clear that SMU was the better team.
Yet the Mustangs were also the team that kept making more mistakes. SMU turned the ball over four times, missed a field goal and committed a penalty on an FSU field goal attempt that led to a game-tying touchdown in the third quarter. It was an incredibly sloppy effort from SMU, yet Florida State could not capitalize.
The Mustangs' fourth turnover came with 6:33 to go and the game tied at 24-24. Safety Ashlynd Barker read QB Kevin Jennings' eyes for an interception and gave Florida State a chance to take its first lead of the night.
Instead, the Seminoles' offense lost seven yards on three plays after Ashton Daniels was sacked on third down. That down was FSU's nemesis all night; it finished 2-for-14 on third downs. Florida State punted the ball back to SMU, and the Mustangs got into position for an easy field goal thanks to a 29-yard completion to Dramekco Green on third down with less than three minutes to go.

#field

Lights? Out. Football? Played. The result? Florida State football dropped its ACC opener to No. 19 SMU 27-24 on Monday, Sept. 7 at Doak Campbell Stadium.
The start of the game was delayed for over 90 minutes after a power outage occurred inside the stadium minutes before kickoff. It resulted in the game being started with no public address announcer, QB-to-coach helmet communication, and in-game replay.
Here are three takeaways from the Seminoles defeat to SMU.
The Mustangs out gained the Seminoles 328 to 165 in the first half, yet only led by a score of 17-10 at the break. SMU ended the game with 585 total yards to FSU's 324, and yet only won by a field goal thanks to two interceptions and a forced fumble.
SMU did much of its damage on third down as the Seminoles struggled to get off the field again, going 8-of-14.

#Florida

SMU did everything it could to give Florida State a chance to win Monday night. Instead, the Mustangs got out of Tallahassee with a 27-24 win after a 20-yard field goal from Nick Reed with 21 seconds to go.
Once the game finally started after a 100-minute delay because of a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium, it was clear that SMU was the better team.
Yet the Mustangs were also the team that kept making more mistakes. SMU turned the ball over four times, missed a field goal and committed a penalty on an FSU field goal attempt that led to a game-tying touchdown in the third quarter. It was an incredibly sloppy effort from SMU, yet Florida State could not capitalize.
The Mustangs' fourth turnover came with 6:33 to go and the game tied at 24-24. Safety Ashlynd Barker read QB Kevin Jennings' eyes for an interception and gave Florida State a chance to take its first lead of the night.
Instead, the Seminoles' offense lost seven yards on three plays after Ashton Daniels was sacked on third down. That down was FSU's nemesis all night. Florida State punted the ball back to SMU, and the Mustangs got into position for an easy field goal thanks to a 29-yard completion to Dramekco Green on third down with less than three minutes to go.

#field #night #game #Third

Despite getting the win against New Mexico State in Week 0, the Florida State Seminoles are looking to play better against the SMU Mustangs. For their second game of the 2026 season, they are jumping right into ACC play against the Mustangs.
Florida State and the Mustangs first met in 2024. In the last game, SMU crushed FSU, 42-16. With guys like Kevin Jennings under center for the Mustangs, they have a great opportunity to take down a struggling FSU and build their resume.
When asked about his thoughts going into SMU week, head coach Mike Norvell praised the Mustangs.
"This is a championship caliber opponent game all, all part of it here to kick off ACC play and very excited for what's in front of us the opportunity that's there coming off the game."
But what do the experts have to say about this game? Find out here ahead of Monday's 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff from Doak Campbell Stadium.

#state #week #here #Mexico

The Alabama Crimson Tide have lost a commitment in their 2028 recruiting class. Three-star linebacker Ryquan Butler decommitted on Sunday, according to a report from Brendan Sonnone of 247Sports.
Butler is from Loachapoka, Alabama, and committed to Alabama on July 7. He picked the Crimson Tide over the FSU Seminoles, Ole Miss Rebels, Auburn Tigers, and several other programs.
He is ranked as the No. 521 overall player and No. 34 linebacker in the 247Sports composite. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder is also the No. 19 player from Alabama.
While the loss stings, Alabama's 2028 recruiting class is still in a great place. They still have the top 2028 recruiting class in the country with six commitments overall, including three-star linebacker Dustin Henry. Four-star quarterback Kingston Preyear, the No. 44 player in the country, is their highest-ranked commit and the leader of the group.
Butler was enjoying an excellent start to his junior season before he decided to reopen his recruitment. In two games, he recorded 27 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles for Loachapoka High School. He also plays on offense, carrying the ball 11 times for 92 yards and four touchdowns.

#linebacker #crimson

It will be a spirited crowd on Monday night when the No. 19 SMU Mustangs come to Doak Campbell Stadium to take on the Florida State Seminoles. It's the ACC opener for both schools, and it will set the tone for conference play for each program in 2026.
FSU was able to pick up a win in their season opener thanks in large part to only allowing 17 points. With that said, they need to improve in multiple areas against SMU if they want to come out with a victory.
Here are five defensive keys for the Seminoles as they look to stop a very capable Mustangs offense.
It all starts in the trenches. This is a game where guys like Daniel Lyons, Deante McCray, Rylan Kennedy, and the Desir twins need to establish themselves from the get-go. If they can do that, they'll have a good chance of keeping SMU behind the chains.
Jennings is a dual-threat type of quarterback. So, Florida State's defense will need to keep him rattled while he's in the pocket, while also keeping a spy on him in case he tucks the ball and decides to run. This is an essential key for them.

#need #mustangs

As a team, the Florida State Seminoles did not look as good as expected when they beat the New Mexico State Aggies in Week 0 to start the 2026 season. That was not true of the running backs, who powered the offense to a 34-17 victory with Ousmane Kromah and Samuel Singleton Jr. both having career days.
While Kromah led the team with 115 yards rushing, Singleton finished as the team's top receiver after catching four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown, to go along with 42 rushing yards and another touchdown. His performance was good enough for him to be named the ACC Receiver of the Week, which can be awarded to any player who catches a pass.
Running backs coach Kam Martin was asked about Singleton's versatility on Wednesday, and he did not hold back, comparing him to Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey, who Martin coached while with the UCF Bulls. He also admitted that he thought Singleton was in for a big night due to the work he has put in this offseason.
"He's fun to coach," he said. "Sam's a guy that's in the building all the time. Yesterday, it was a off day, he came up, 'Coach, how can I get better? What's some things I can work on?' You just knew going into that game that Sam was going to have the performance that he was going to have.
"When I saw him catch that 53-yard catch on the screen, I kinda knew he was going to do that cause he played it through practice, and he worked so hard for all these moments. Sam's time is here, Sam's time is here. He put in the work and he's going to continue to make plays."

#going #singleton #yards #work

Florida State's second game of the season is against the ACC's SMU Mustangs. The Seminoles and Mustangs have faced off before, but what is the full series history between these two? Here's the full breakdown.
Florida State's record vs. SMU is 0-1, as they have met just once in 2024. The Mustangs handily defeated the Seminoles, winning 42-16 in Dallas, Texas.
Kevin Jennings threw for 254 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in their last meeting. On the other hand, D.J. Uiagalelei passed for 222 yards, two touchdowns, and three picks.
The Seminoles have a positive record against ACC teams since joining the conference in 1991 after being independent in football for 40 years. Per StatMuse, Florida State is 225-86-2 against the ACC. They average 31.8 points per game when facing an ACC team and have a strong record against most of their conference opponents.
In 2024, FSU would go on to finish 2-10 and would not make a bowl appearance. SMU would advance to the College Football Playoff with an 11-2 record, but lost in the first round.

#seminoles #game #yards

Florida State football commenced the 2026 season with a home opener at Doak S. Campbell Stadium against the New Mexico State Aggies on Saturday, Aug. 29., where the Seminoles defeated the Aggies 34-17 in a roller coaster of a performance.
FSU started the game on defense after losing the coin toss. Despite the Aggies gaining some ground early on, the defense held strong. The crowd erupted after senior defensive back Quindarrius Jones intercepted a throw in the end zone to put the 'Noles on offense.
Following the turnover, the Garnet and Gold, led by fifth year quarterback Ashton Daniels, engineered a strong drive that brought them into the red zone. However, after Daniels was sacked on third and goal, Florida State was forced to settle for a field goal from senior kicker Gabe Panikowski to take an early 3-0 lead.
Later on in the first quarter, a screen pass from Daniels to senior running back Samuel Singleton Jr. set the Seminoles up inside the New Mexico State 10-yard line once again.
On third down, Daniels scored his first touchdown of the season as he evaded the blitz to give FSU a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. However, New Mexico State bounced back with a touchdown of their own as New Mexico State junior quarterback Trey Hedden connected with senior receiver Brodie Malone-Bradford to cut the Aggies' deficit to three.

#aggies #early

The FSU Seminoles beat the New Mexico State Aggies 34-17 to start the season, which means one Florida State player was given the honor of breaking the rock after the game. There was a clear choice after the game, with Samuel Singleton Jr. being chosen after an excellent game.
He showcased his ability to affect the game in multiple ways, making explosive plays as a runner, receiver, and returner. The senior finished with a game-high 164 yards from scrimmage and a pair of touchdowns, and head coach Mike Norvell admitted he was proud of him after the game.
"Sam's a guy that's a really talented football player," Norvell said. "He's growing, just in all areas. I was proud of him to see his impact in all three phases of it. The return game had a big kickoff return. Obviously, you had some good runs, but then you're also catching the ball out of the backfield was great to see and to see his confidence growing and what we do."
"It was a great start for him to this season, and we're expecting big things as we continue to move forward," he added.
Singleton has improved each year he has been at FSU, and while there is a long way to go, his senior year is off to an excellent start.

#game #start #season

Florida State opened the 2026 season with a victory Saturday night, but its 34-17 win over New Mexico State offered a mixture of encouraging developments and areas that will need improvement before the competition ramps up.
The Seminoles finished with 419 yards of offense, including 217 on the ground, and held New Mexico State to 319 total yards. FSU never trailed, but the Aggies remained within 10 points until the final four minutes despite Florida State entering as a heavy favorite.
Here are the biggest winners and losers from a season-opening win that left FSU's fans with some concerns.
The offseason buzz surrounding Kromah carried directly into Week 0. The sophomore rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt. His one-yard score with 4:01 remaining capped a 90-yard drive and finally put the game away.
Kromah looked explosive when ****** e opened and gave Florida State a dependable option throughout the night.

#state #Mexico

Auburn football made a clean sweep of its quarterback room following the 2025 season, and two of those made their debuts for their new programs on Saturday.
Ashton Daniels took the field for the Florida State Seminoles, while Jackson Arnold was named the starter for UNLV just days before the season-opening game. Daniels led the Seminoles to a 34-17 win over New Mexico State, while Arnold had a great day passing but could not get the win as UNLV lost to Memphis in their season opener at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Both quarterbacks dealt with pressure issues on Saturday, similar to their time at Auburn. According to PFF, Daniels was under pressure in 12 of his 27 passing attempts. FSU Wire's JD McCarthy believes the pressure he faced forced him to make questionable passing decisions.
"It was a mixed bag for Ashton Daniels in his debut," writes McCarthy. "He was constantly under pressure as FSU's offensive line struggled to protect him, but he also held onto the ball for to long at times and made a bad decision on his interception. He finished the day 17-27 passing for 202 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also ran for a touchdown."
The pressure was amplified for Arnold in UNLV's 27-21 loss to Memphis on Saturday as he was pressured 18 times according to PFF data. He was sacked seven times; two of those sacks occurred during the Rebels' final drive of the game. Despite facing constant pressure, Arnold found success through the air, completing 25 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions. He rushed for 108 yards, but the high number of sacks trimmed his total to just 58 net yards on the ground.

#daniels #made #times

The FSU Seminoles opened the season with a win over the New Mexico State Aggies, pulling out a 34-17 win in Doak Campbell Stadium. It was a much tougher game than expected, to the dismay of FSU's fans.
The Aggies were in the game from the start, driving on the field on the opening drive of the game before an interception ended the drive, allowing FSU to take an early lead. Despite the turnover, New Mexico State head coach Tony Sanchez liked what he saw from quarterback Trey Hedden.
"Yeah, I thought Trey really stepped up," he said. "We're big believers in him, and that's why we named him the starter. He's got some really good guys behind him, but I thought he did a really good job. They did a pretty good job of harassing him, and I thought the line stepped up too. I mean, I thought they played well.
"But he made one poor decision early on, on that interception. But other than that, I thought he played a really, really good game. He played a tough physical game. So I'm glad he's leading us."
Hedden completed 26 of his 42 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns with the one interception. FSU was only able to sack him three times, with him doing a good job of getting the ball out quickly.

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