Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels is heading into 2026 with a little extra bulletin-board material.
On3 analyst Andy Staples released his preseason ranking of the ACC’s top 10 quarterbacks this week, and Daniels did not make the cut. Miami’s Darian Mensah took the No. 1 spot, while Florida State’s transfer quarterback was left on the outside looking in.
That omission adds another layer to the questions that have followed Daniels all offseason. Florida State has earned praise for loading up through the transfer portal and recruiting, but the uncertainty around QB1 has remained part of the conversation.
Daniels arrives in Tallahassee with plenty of experience. After spending last season at Auburn, he transferred to Florida State with more than three dozen career starts and 37 games of collegiate experience. That gives the Seminoles one of the ACC’s more seasoned quarterbacks, even if the national perception hasn’t caught up.
The rankings also underline just how demanding Florida State’s schedule will be. The Seminoles are set to face seven of Staples’ top 10 ACC quarterbacks in 2026, giving Daniels and the defense a long list of high-end matchups.
That stretch starts early. Florida State opens ACC play at home on September 7 against SMU and Kevin Jennings, who checked in at No.
- The Seminoles also travel to Miami to face Mensah on Oct.
- Other ranked quarterbacks on the schedule include NC State’s C.J.
Bailey at No. 4, Pitt’s Mason Heintschel at No.
5, Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz at No. 6, Virginia’s Beau Pribula, and Clemson’s Christopher Vizzina at No.
Daniels will get his chances to change the story on the field, and Florida State will need him to do it. Head coach Mike Norvell has reclaimed play-calling duties entering the 2026 season, putting even more attention on how quickly Daniels settles into the offense.
The Seminoles’ schedule leaves little room to ease in. After the ACC opener against SMU, Florida State travels to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for one of its biggest nonconference tests of the year.
Florida State’s season begins Saturday, August 29 against New Mexico State in Tallahassee at 7:00 p.m. ET on The CW. The rest of the schedule includes:
Saturday, September 7 vs. SMU - Tallahassee - 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Saturday, September 19 at Alabama - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
Saturday, September 26 vs. Central Arkansas - Tallahassee (Family Weekend/Hall of Fame)
Saturday, October 3 vs. Virginia - Tallahassee (Cancer Awareness)
Friday, October 9 at Louisville - Louisville, Ky. - 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN
Saturday, October 17 at Miami - Miami Gardens, Fla.
aturday, October 31 vs. Clemson - Tallahassee (Military Appreciation)
Saturday, November 7 at Boston College - Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Saturday, November 13 at Pitt - Pittsburgh, Pa. - 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN
Saturday, November 21 vs. NC State - Tallahassee (Homecoming/Seminole Heritage/Athlete Alumni Reunion)
Friday, November 27 vs. Florida - Tallahassee - 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
How Daniels performs will go a long way toward determining whether Florida State can beat expectations this fall. If he clicks in Norvell’s offense and handles the ACC slate, this preseason ranking may not matter for long.
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