Florida State has a clearer picture now of the quarterback it’s likely to see when the season opens in Week 0.
At Conference USA Kickoff on Tuesday, New Mexico State coach Tony Sanchez said Furman transfer Trey Hedden “has the nod” heading into fall camp, though Sanchez added that “right now, he’s gotta fight to keep it.” That gives the Aggies a likely starter for the Aug. 29 game in Tallahassee, where Florida State opens the 2026 season at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Hedden arrives after starting all 12 games for Furman last season. He threw for 2,967 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing 68.5 percent of his passes. The 6-foot-3 Tampa native was expected to compete with redshirt junior Adam Damante, who took over the job late last season.
For Florida State, the news mostly brings clarity. Mike Norvell already moved quickly to settle the Seminoles’ own quarterback situation by naming Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels the starter this offseason, so there was never much mystery on that side of the matchup. Now the FSU staff knows a little more about the opponent it’s preparing to face.
That doesn’t mean the Seminoles are getting a harmless tune-up. New Mexico State is the team Florida State is paying $1.4 million to visit Doak Campbell in Week 0, and while it may not be the toughest offense on the schedule, having a defined quarterback helps Tony White and the defense get to work early.
Hedden’s only game against Power 4 competition last season came against Clemson in November, a 45-10 loss. In that game, he completed 22 of 38 passes for 179 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked twice, finished with -15 rushing yards, and also lost a fumble after being stripped in the pocket.
He isn’t a true running threat, but he does throw well on the move and brings solid arm strength for someone who has spent his career at the FCS level. Against Clemson, though, he never looked fully comfortable when the pressure started to close in.
That turnover tendency is part of the equation here, and it’s one Florida State can try to exploit right away. Hedden will be older and should have better talent around him now that he’s at the FBS level, but the ball security issues remain a concern.
The Seminoles should be in good shape no matter who New Mexico State sends out on Aug. 29. Still, if Hedden is indeed the guy, that gives Florida State a cleaner early scouting report, a more focused game plan, and a quicker path toward shifting attention to Week 1 and the ACC opener against SMU and Kevin Jennings.
Jennings, a dynamic dual-threat with multiple seasons of starting experience, is a much tougher assignment for a defense than Hedden. So once Florida State gets through the opener, the staff will have every reason to move on fast.
In Other News...
Mike Norvell Just Got A Warning Seminoles Fans Feared
Florida State is heading into the 2026 season with Mike Norvell still under a bright spotlight, and for a program that expects to contend, the recent results have only sharpened the pressure. The Seminoles have overhauled parts of the roster and coaching staff, but the bigger issue is whether those changes can finally translate into steadier play after two rough years in ACC competition.
The concern around Norvell is not just about performance, but about the gap Florida State is trying to close in a sport where resources matter as much as reputation. The Seminoles are spending in a crowded middle tier of the ACC while chasing programs with deeper pockets, and that leaves Norvell with a familiar challenge: prove the rebuild is working before the questions around his future get any louder. [Read more 🡒]
Ashton Daniels Is Already Facing The FSU Question Fans Feared
Ashton Daniels is already getting the kind of early outside scrutiny that tends to follow any quarterback trying to settle in at Florida State, and the latest round came from The Athletics ranking of FBS passers. Daniels landed at No. 60 among 138 quarterbacks, a spot that suggests he has enough traits to win with but still leaves evaluators looking for more before they fully buy in. For a Seminoles team trying to answer big questions at the position, that kind of placement is more than just a number.
ACC front office voices were split on how Daniels fits in Tallahassee, with some seeing a quarterback whose strengths should translate in Mike Norvells offense and others leaving room for doubt. Daniels, for his part, brushed off the lack of accolades and kept the focus on performance and winning, which is really the only response that matters now. The rankings will keep coming, and so will the questions, but the next step belongs to Daniels on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Norvell Faces One Offensive Question That Could Define Florida State
Florida States offense has a clear offseason blueprint, and it starts with making the ground game the engine again. Mike Norvell is planning to lean on a three-back mix of Ousmane Kromah, Samuel Singleton and Texas transfer Quintrevion Wisner to give Ashton Daniels more support and keep the Seminoles from asking too much of the passing game.
The logic is obvious: when Florida State has been at its best, the run game has helped steady everything around it. Wisner arrives with a proven rsum from Texas, and the bigger question is whether this approach can do more than just balance the offense. It may end up being the part of the plan that decides how much pressure Norvell feels in Tallahassee. [Read more 🡒]