The Florida State Seminoles are 1-0 after a 34-17 Week 0 win over New Mexico State on Saturday night at Doak Campbell Stadium, but the final score did a lot more for the record than it did for the mood around the program.
Mike Norvell needed a clean opening statement, and instead Florida State spent much of the night looking shaky in the spots that matter most. The Seminoles got enough individual bright spots to leave with a win, but several of the players and units that are supposed to shape this season came out looking far short of the standard.
One of the clearest positives was Ousmane Kromah. Even with a crowded backfield, the sophomore showed why the preseason buzz around him pointed toward RB1 in 2026.
He carried 14 times for 115 yards and scored his first career touchdown, giving Florida State the kind of run-game spark it lacked at times last year. The numbers back it up too: the Seminoles posted a 54 percent rushing success rate overall, and that jumped by 10 percent when Kromah touched the ball.
He also finally brought the explosiveness that had been missing, highlighted by a 52-yard run late in the game in which he made multiple defenders miss in space.
Samuel Singleton Jr. was just as important, and maybe even more surprising. There were plenty of questions about his decision to stay in Tallahassee after Florida State added former Texas Longhorn Quintrevision Wisner in the transfer portal, but Singleton clearly made his case on Saturday.
Wisner was injured for much of fall camp, and Singleton beat him out for the role. He answered with production everywhere: 42 rushing yards and a touchdown on nine carries, 54 receiving yards and another score on four catches, plus a 46-yard kick return.
The efficiency wasn’t pretty - a 33% success rate and -0.01 EPA/carry per gameonpaper - but the impact was obvious, and a two-touchdown night should keep Wisner in the background for now.
Quindarrius Jones also earned his flowers. Early in fall camp, it became apparent that he, not Charles Lester III or South Alabama transfer Nehemiah Chandler, would start at CB2 opposite Ja’Bril Rawls.
Jones missed most of last season because of injury and had not always looked like a difference-maker when healthy, but he was Florida State’s most dependable corner against New Mexico State. He logged an impressive pass breakup and picked off his first career interception.
With Rawls struggling, Jones looked more like CB1 than CB2.
The offensive line, though, did not carry over the momentum Florida State needed. Herb Hand rebuilt the group in the 2025 offseason and got strong results from his veteran additions, but all five starters from that line graduated, leaving Hand, Norvell and general manager John Garrett to try their luck in the portal again.
That gamble did not pay off cleanly in Week 0. Ashton Daniels held the ball too long at times, but even when he got it out on schedule, he was under pressure far too often.
Bradyn Welch-Joiner at center had trouble with New Mexico State’s interior pass rush, Xavier Chaplin was flagged for bad red-zone penalties, and the whole unit looked closer to Conference USA level than Florida State would like. The run blocking was better, though, largely because Norvell leaned on split-zone duo and the size eventually wore down the Aggies.
Then there was the quarterback play. Ashton Daniels entered the game with 22 career interceptions, and the hope was that the ball-security concerns would finally fade.
Instead, he threw a brutal second-quarter pick that killed a promising drive. The offseason buzz suggested he had become more decisive, more anticipatory, and more willing to check it down when necessary.
On Saturday night, none of that showed up. He looked like the same quarterback he’s been for most of the last four seasons, three at Stanford and one at Auburn.
The defense had its own problems, and Tony White’s unit took the biggest hit of all. Florida State allowed New Mexico State to convert six of its first seven third downs and finished with a 63% late-down success rate.
The defensive line managed just one tackle for loss in the run game, and while the Seminoles recorded three sacks, they did not get steady disruption up front. Coverage breakdowns led to two touchdowns and nearly produced a third.
White’s system kept showing the same issue: too much passivity, too much spot-drop Cover 3, and too much space for receivers underneath. Trey Hedden took advantage with easy completions and sharp anticipation, especially on money downs, and the back end kept running into communication issues because of all the moving parts.
The defense is built to ask the front to win quickly, but that’s not a luxury Florida State appears to have right now. White may need to get more aggressive in the secondary, but that comes with the risk of even more busts.
Ja’Bril Rawls was caught in the middle of that mess. He, Mandrell Desir and Darryll Desir all entered the portal in the offseason, then were convinced to return, and all three were paid handsomely to do it.
That kind of investment comes with big expectations, especially for a group that’s supposed to anchor the defense. Rawls did not meet them.
He got beat deep for a touchdown after biting on a well-run route, and with no safety help over the top in Cover 1 man, Trey Hedden had a clean throw. Later, Rawls compounded the damage with a rough penalty when he slammed a receiver to the ground.
For a player Florida State needs to be not just solid but great - and one with legitimate NFL potential - it was a rough night from start to finish.
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 Already Has An O-Line Problem It Cant Ignore
Florida States offensive line was always going to be a work in progress in 2026, with five new starters trying to settle in and especially a fresh battle developing on the right side. Chimdia Nwaiwu got the opening nod at right tackle, while Nate Pabst and Paul Bowling have also been part of the discussion, and the early weeks have already shown how important that spot is for an offense trying to find its footing.
Nwaiwus first start brought enough pressure and issues in the run game to make the decision far less straightforward than the staff likely hoped. With SMU next on the schedule, Florida State is already weighing whether to stay patient or make a change and see if Bowling offers a better answer at right tackle, a choice that could shape how the rest of the line settles in. [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 🡒]