Florida State’s Week 0 win over New Mexico State came with a familiar warning label attached: the quarterback play was fine, but the rest of the operation looks nowhere near fixed.
The Seminoles beat the Aggies 34-17 at Doak Campbell Stadium, and Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels gave them a decent debut. He finished 17-of-27 for 202 passing yards, threw two all-purpose touchdowns, added a pick, and picked up two first downs with his legs on a broken play. Daniels had some useful second-half moments, but Florida State was still only up 17-10 in the third quarter against a lower-tier Group of Six opponent.
That’s the problem. Daniels can make plays, but he’s not walking into a clean situation, and he’s not about to rescue a team stuck in its now-three-year rut on the other side of the ball.
Tony White’s defense was the bigger story, and not in a good way. New Mexico State converted 10 of 17 third downs, and Aggies receiver Brodie Malone-Bradford beat promising FSU defensive back Ja'Bril Rawls for a 33-yard touchdown in the first half.
The Seminoles didn’t unravel because of a penalty-filled mess, either. They were flagged only twice.
They simply got beat, repeatedly, and allowed 272 passing yards to Furman transfer Trey Hedden while giving up two touchdowns.
That’s why Daniels’ debut feels like it may not matter much if the defense stays this soft. The Seminoles’ next two games are against SMU and Alabama, and those matchups could get ugly fast. Kevin Jennings and Keelon Russell are waiting, and the Tony White band-aid may come off sooner rather than later.
In that sense, Daniels looked a lot like the player Auburn had before this move. The Tigers saw enough to be reluctant to lose him after last November, but the upside always came with turnover risk. Florida State got the same version on Saturday: capable of producing a few big moments, but not enough to cover for a defense that keeps dragging everything down.
For a program that went 5-7 last season and 2-6 in ACC play, that’s not the kind of seven-figure answer anyone was hoping for. And unless White’s defense changes in a hurry, Daniels won’t be the thing that saves the Seminoles.
In Other News...
Auburn Fans Suddenly Have A Real LSU Dilemma
LSUs push to stock its roster with former NFL players has become one of the SECs most unusual off-field flashpoints, and it has put Auburn in an awkward spot with a game still on the schedule. The conference has drawn plenty of criticism for the situation, and officials are weighing possible responses ranging from sanctions to expulsion, but nothing has been decided yet because the process is still tied up in a legal hearing.
For Auburn fans, the practical question is simpler than the politics: whether the Tigers should just play the game and move on, or let the controversy reshape how they feel about LSU altogether. A boycott does not appear to be on the table, which means Auburn is likely headed into a matchup shadowed by a bigger SEC fight that has nothing to do with the lines on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Smiths Rise Could Change Auburns Biggest Defensive Question
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For a defense that wants to be tougher to block and quicker to finish plays, that kind of rise matters. Smiths development could help answer one of Auburns biggest questions before the opener, especially if the pass rush comes together the way the staff thinks it might. The encouraging part is clear enough already, even if the full payoff still has to play out once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns New Staff Just Sent An Early Message Before Baylor
Auburns new coaching staff spent part of the preseason trying to make the first real week feel a little less foreign. Led by Alex Golesh, the Tigers ran a mock game week ahead of the upcoming season and the opener against Baylor, using the rehearsal to get players and coaches inside the rhythm they will need once the games count.
DJ Durkin called the experience extremely valuable, especially for the way it helped everyone settle into routines and tighten communication. For a staff still building its own habits, that kind of dress rehearsal can matter just as much as any scheme work, and Auburn will find out soon enough whether the early message carried over when Baylor finally arrives. [Read more 🡒]