Florida State Seminoles opened the 2026 college football season with a convincing 34-17 victory over New Mexico State Aggies on Saturday, getting an encouraging debut from quarterback Ashton Daniels and a breakout performance from sophomore running back Ousmane Kromah.
Daniels, who spent the previous two seasons as a starter at Stanford before appearing in four games for Auburn last fall, made his Seminoles debut by completing 17 of 27 passes for 202 yards. He threw one touchdown pass and added another touchdown on the ground, although he also had one interception.
Florida State established control with a balanced offensive attack, finishing with 217 rushing yards on 39 carries while consistently finding ways to move the football. Daniels showed his ability as both a passer and runner in his first game wearing the Florida State uniform.
His touchdown pass came on a 4-yard connection with Samuel Singleton Jr., giving the Seminoles another weapon to complement their rushing attack. Daniels also contributed a rushing touchdown as Florida State put together enough big plays to keep New Mexico State from mounting a serious comeback.
For Florida State, the victory marked the fourth time in the past five seasons that the Seminoles have won their season opener.
One of the biggest highlights came from Kromah, who delivered the first 100-yard game of his college career. The sophomore finished with 115 yards on 14 carries, averaging more than eight yards per attempt. His biggest play came in the fourth quarter, when he broke loose for a weaving 52-yard run that helped Florida State put the game away.
Kromah’s performance provided an early indication that the Seminoles could have a potent rushing attack this season.
Singleton Jr. was another standout for Florida State. The versatile sophomore carried the ball nine times for 42 yards while adding four receptions for 54 yards. He also made an impact on special teams, returning a kickoff 46 yards to set the Seminoles up near midfield.
Singleton then capped that possession with a 2-yard touchdown run. His expanded role was particularly notable after a limited receiving contribution last season. Singleton had four touchdowns in 2025 but recorded just one reception. He elected to remain at Florida State with an opportunity to become a much larger part of the offense, and Saturday’s performance showed why the coaching staff is counting on him.
New Mexico State quarterback Trey Hedden provided plenty of resistance. The transfer from Furman completed 26 of 42 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with TK King and Brodie Malone-Bradford for scores. Hedden also threw an interception on the Aggies’ opening drive.
New Mexico State was particularly effective on third down, converting 10 of 16 opportunities. Hedden found success when given clean pockets and helped the Aggies stay within striking distance for much of the contest.
Ultimately, however, Florida State’s rushing attack and efficiency in key situations proved too much for New Mexico State to overcome.
Perhaps the most encouraging development for Florida State was its performance inside the red zone. The Seminoles converted just 80.7% of their red-zone opportunities into scores last season, a figure that ranked 95th nationally.
Their touchdown rate was even less impressive, with Florida State finding the end zone on only 59.6% of red-zone trips. That was not an issue Saturday. Florida State was a perfect 6-for-6 in the red zone, scoring four touchdowns while converting two field-goal attempts. That efficiency could prove important as the Seminoles move into the more demanding portion of their schedule.
Florida State still has areas to clean up, including the interception and the need to contain an Aggies passing attack that produced 272 yards. But the Seminoles got exactly what they needed from their season opener: a victory, a productive new quarterback and encouraging performances from several young offensive players.
Daniels’ dual-threat ability, Kromah’s explosive running and Singleton’s all-around contribution gave Florida State plenty of reasons for optimism.
The Seminoles now turn their attention toward the remainder of the 2026 season, hoping Saturday’s 34-17 victory is the first step toward a much more successful campaign.
