Florida State’s quarterback room could get a little clearer when Central Arkansas comes to Tallahassee this weekend.
Through the first three games of the 2026 season, the Seminoles haven’t had much reason to empty the bench. Even in a 34-17 win over New Mexico State, the game stayed competitive deep into the fourth quarter, and the starters ended up taking every snap.
That could change on Saturday. FSU is a heavy favorite, listed at nearly 45 points, and that margin is larger than the total points the Seminoles have scored in any single game this season. If the game unfolds the way Florida State expects, fans inside Doak Campbell Stadium may finally get their first look at the backups.
At the center of that possibility is the QB2 battle between Malachi Marshall and Kevin Sperry. Both have been listed as co-backups behind Ashton Daniels, but Marshall has been the one taking second-team reps in pregame, a sign he may have the slight edge.
Quarterbacks coach Austin Tucker said the competition is very much alive.
"I know they'd love to play," Tucker said on Tuesday. "At the end of the day, they both have to be ready for the opportunity.
When that opportunity presents itself, they're going to be ready. That's part of being a guy that's not the No. 1, there's only one quarterback out there."
"They've done a good job preparing. That's something they're going to continue to do, and there is competition going out there at that spot," Tucker added.
Marshall arrived in June over the summer, putting him behind Daniels and Sperry in terms of time in the program. Still, Tucker pointed to the way he has handled the transition.
"From day one when he got here, I think he did a good job of attacking everything and focusing on just his growth," Tucker said. "We put a heavy emphasis in the weight room, just to be able to put on weight, and he's done a great job with that. Obviously, every quarterback wants to get in the playbook, so he's shown that he can learn pretty quickly."
Tucker also said Marshall has kept improving since the preseason.
"With that [playbook] and getting out on the field, he obviously was behind. Getting those initial reps in fall camp was the first time that he's been out there," Tucker said. "He did the work in the summer, but getting 11 in front of you, you've seen his progression from fall camp."
Marshall’s college production gives Florida State a clear reason to be intrigued. He led Iowa Western Community College to a national championship last fall and completed 210 of 319 passes for 2,750 yards with 33 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also ran for 120 yards and a score.
Sperry has already seen game action for the Seminoles. In 2025, he appeared in three games off the bench and went 12 for 17 for 194 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also carried the ball seven times for 27 yards.
Florida State and Central Arkansas are set for Saturday, September 26, with kickoff at 3:00 p.m. ET on the ACC Network.
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