Florida State heads into the 2026 season with plenty to prove, and the conversation starts with one basic question: who matters most?
The Seminoles are coming off a stretch that has left the program searching for answers. They have gone more than two seasons without a road win, and the recent results - an ACC mark of 3-13 and an overall record of 7-17 - have not exactly built buzz around a playoff push in Tallahassee. The offseason brought a major reset, too, with 57 new faces joining the roster along with new coaches and front office staff, including the recent addition of former Texas head coach Tom Herman.
That overhaul makes the “most important player” debate especially interesting. Duce Robinson is the easy name to circle after returning to Tallahassee for his final college season.
But he is hardly the only player who could shape what happens next. Mandrell Desir and Ousmane Kromah are back after encouraging freshman seasons, while Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels could be the one asked to bring much-needed steadiness at quarterback.
On the defensive side, Chris Jones and Rylan Kennedy arrive as potential impact additions as well.
The Tallahassee Democrat is asking fans to weigh in on the question in a poll: who is Florida State football’s most important player in 2026?
Voting closes Tuesday, July 28 at noon.
Florida State’s 2026 schedule begins at home against New Mexico State on Aug. 29, followed by SMU on Sept. 7 before a bye week. The Seminoles then travel to Alabama on Sept. 19 and return home for Central Arkansas on Sept.
- ACC play continues with Virginia at home on Oct. 3, then road trips to Louisville on Oct. 9 and Miami on Oct.
- After another bye, FSU hosts Clemson on Oct. 31, visits Boston College on Nov. 7 and Pittsburgh on Nov. 13, then closes with NC State at home on Nov. 21 and Florida on Nov.
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 🡒]