FSU football opens 2026 with 34-17 win over New Mexico State: Takeaways
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Florida State football opened the 2026 season with a 34-17 win over New Mexico State that was less persuasive than the scoreline suggests on Saturday, Aug. 29, in front of a sold-out Doak Campbell Stadium.
The Seminoles (1-0) were stuck in first gear for much of the night, but outdid a New Mexico State team that flashed in moments. Samuel Singlton scored twice for FSU, and Ousmane Kromah added another score. Ashton Daniels rushed for one and threw another.
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Defensive back Quindarrius Jones notched an interception, FSU's lone takeaway in the game.
Here are three quick takeaways from the Seminoles season opening 34-17 win over the Aggies.
Questions remain over FSU's offensive line
Daniels didn't have a jaw-dropping debut, going 17-for-27 with a touchdown and an interception to his name and 202 passing yards. He hesitated in the pocket on a few throws, and the turnover was a product of a forced ball into a tight window.
Daniels, however, gets some grace as he was flushed out of the pocket multiple times with FSU's offensive line struggling to block. The Seminoles' unit had a slow start and never really imposed itself, despite a significant size advantage over New Mexico State's defensive line.
New Mexico State sacked Daniels once. He takes partial blame for it as he froze in the pocket, but the pressure got to him quickly with missed assignments. The Aggies finished the night with five QB hurries, which forced Daniels into some uncomfortable spots.
Even with 222 yards on the ground, including 115 by Ousmane Kromah, much of the yardage was earned by individual brilliance, rather than open lanes from good blocking.
Seminoles' 3rd-down defense still lacks sharpness
The Seminoles' defense was expected to take a leap in year two under Tony White, and while evaluations should be tempered when discussing Week 0, there are red flags.
The biggest? FSU's inability to get off the field on third down. It's an area that plagued the unit last season, and so far, it's carried over. The Aggies converted on 58.8% of third downs (10-of-17) and scored both touchdowns in third-and-long situations.
FSU's struggles on third down were a sharp contrast to what was a relatively clean defense when facing first and second downs. The fact that the Aggies faced 17 third-down situations highlights that, but the Seminoles struggled to maintain a high level for three consecutive downs, which needs to be cleaned up ahead of SMU.
Running backs flash brilliance
There were certainly some positives for the Seminoles, with the running backs carrying the offense. FSU rushed for 222 yards, and Kromah tallied 115 of those on his own on 14 carries and averaged 8.2 yards per carry.
He recorded his first collegiate rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but his highlight of the night came on a mazy 52-yard rush that moved FSU from the 12-yard line to positive territory. Kromah cut right then back left multiple times to leave behind would-be tacklers before being run out of bounds.
Singleton scored twice, once on the ground and once in the air, and finished the game with 164 total yards (42 rushing, 54 receiving, 68 kickoff). He ignited the Seminoles' offense in the first half, and his kickoff returns helped put FSU in advantageous positions.
Both he and Kromah were the brightest spots in the game. When called upon, Tre Wisnor looked sharp, though he was limited behind the aforementioned duo.
Florida State football schedule 2026
vs. New Mexico State | 34-17 W
vs. SMU* | Sept. 7
Bye
at Alabama | Sept. 19
vs. Central Arkansas | Sept. 26
vs. Virginia* | Oct. 3
at Louisville* | Oct. 9
at Miami* | Oct. 17
Bye
vs. Clemson* | Oct. 31
at Boston College* | Nov. 7
at Pittsburgh* | Nov. 13
vs. NC State* | Nov. 21
vs. Florida | Nov. 27
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at [email protected] or on Twitter @__liamrooney.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football opens 2026 with 34-17 win over New Mexico State: Takeaways