Florida State walked out of Week 0 with a bigger concern than the final score: the right side of its offensive line still looks unsettled, and time is already running short before No. 19 SMU arrives on Labor Day.
The Seminoles spent preseason sorting through a three-man fight for two spots on the right side, with Chimdia Nwaiwu, Nate Pabst and Paul Bowling all in the mix. In the end, Nwaiwu won the right tackle job and Pabst settled in at right guard. But against New Mexico State, that arrangement never really looked comfortable.
That was a rough opening night for an offensive line that featured five new starters, and Nwaiwu was the clearest trouble spot. Florida State also rebuilt its entire line last season and hit big in the transfer portal, but this year’s version came together under far different conditions, with a tighter budget after back-to-back losing seasons and Mike Norvell’s $50 million buyout looming as a potential line item for the school. The result: no repeat of that kind of wholesale success.
During camp, Herb Hand had singled out Pabst as his most reliable blocker, and he backed that up by looking steady even while lined up next to Nwaiwu. Bradyn Welch-Joiner had some shaky moments at center but was mostly solid.
Xavier Chaplin held up at left tackle despite an untimely first-half false start in the red zone. Still, the group has the feel of a weak-line unit, and the biggest issue sits at right tackle.
There may be another one in Andre Otto, but that’s not nearly as clear.
Nwaiwu, a transfer from Stephen F. Austin, struggled in his Florida State debut.
The 6-foot-5, 307-pound senior gave up three pressures and a sack, and he also had multiple misses in the run game. New Mexico State’s stunts gave him trouble, as he repeatedly let rushers cross his face.
When it was time to strike, there just wasn’t much pop in his hands.
That mattered because Ashton Daniels’ mobility can only cover up so much. On Daniels’ touchdown pass to Samuel Singleton Jr., Nwaiwu’s loss in protection forced the quarterback off his spot. Florida State leaned on creative protection answers to survive some of the other issues - false pulls on screens, guards pulling to sell hard play-action and similar wrinkles - but those looks often seemed to stir up confusion on the right side and, at times, led to quick pressure.
TOUCHDOWN SEMINOLES!
Ashton Daniels finds Samuel Singleton in the end zone to put @FSUFootball up 17-7 just before the half. pic.twitter.com/0V4ePtaFK5
- The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) August 30, 2026
That mess could simply be the product of preseason shuffling on the right side. It could also be something more straightforward: Nwaiwu may just not be ready for this level, and that would make him a drag on the offense all season.
The Seminoles also missed their chance to experiment with Bowling. If Week 0 had turned into the expected blowout, Florida State might have had room to test a Bowling-Pabst pairing on the right side.
Since Nwaiwu won the job, that would have been the natural next step. But the Aggies hung around, and now the choice is harsher: keep Nwaiwu in place after a shaky debut, or throw Bowling into his first action as a Seminole against one of the conference’s projected contenders.
That’s a tough spot, especially with SMU’s front coming next. The Mustangs lost their top two pass rushers from last season, but Jahkai Long is still in the edge rotation, Aakil Washington is back healthy after medically redshirting last year, and USF transfer Ira Singleton IV is coming off a season with 26 pressures and a 17.6% pass-rush win rate.
It may not be the most difficult defensive line Florida State sees all year, but it is a serious test this early. And right now, the Seminoles don’t look fully equipped to handle it.
In Other News...
Sam Singleton Just Gave Florida State A Weapon It May Need
Sam Singleton Jr. gave Florida State something it can always use and not always find: a back who can tilt the field in more than one way. In the Seminoles 34-17 win over New Mexico State, he piled up 164 all-purpose yards, scored twice and made his presence felt as both a runner and a returner, including a pair of kickoff returns that helped swing field position. Coach Mike Norvell pointed to Singletons versatility and the way he affected the game in multiple phases, and Pro Football Focus also came away impressed with his offensive work.
For a Florida State offense still sorting out where its biggest weekly advantages will come from, that kind of performance matters beyond the box score. Singletons blend of burst, efficiency and special-teams value gives the Seminoles a cleaner path to creating favorable situations, especially when games tighten and hidden yardage starts to matter. The bigger question now is whether this was a one-game spark or the start of a role that keeps expanding as the season goes on. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Has A Secondary Problem At The Worst Time
Florida State opened the season with a 34-17 win over New Mexico State, but the celebration came with a clear defensive concern hanging over it. The Seminoles secondary had too many issues staying connected in coverage, and New Mexico State was able to find space through the air more often than Florida State would like to see this early in the year.
Mike Norvell pointed to communication and execution problems after the game, which makes the timing especially uncomfortable with SMU next on the schedule. The Mustangs bring a passing attack that can punish busted assignments, so Florida States back end will need a cleaner performance fast if it wants the opener to be remembered for the win and not the warning signs. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Won But One Worry Still Looks Very Real
Florida State opened the season with a win, but the performance did not exactly quiet the questions that followed the Seminoles through the offseason. In a Week 0 slate that also featured North Carolinas defense-heavy win over TCU, Virginias lopsided showing against NC State and North Dakota States first FBS victory, Florida States 34-17 result over New Mexico State stood out for a different reason: the margin looked more comfortable than the game felt.
New Mexico State kept leaning on the Seminoles and made them work for every bit of separation, which is where the concern lingers for Florida State. The offense eventually found enough rhythm to pull away, but it was not the sort of clean, authoritative start that settles a fan base or a coaching staff, and the early-season tension around how reliable this team really is still feels very real. [Read more 🡒]