Florida State opened the 2026 season on August 30 with a 34-17 win over New Mexico State, and while the final score suggests comfort, the first half told a very different story. The Seminoles led just 17-7 at intermission, and there was a stretch in the third quarter when this thing felt legitimately competitive.
Then Ousmane Kromah decided he had seen enough. The FSU running back finished with 115 yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries, headlined by a 52-yard rip in the fourth quarter that took whatever life was left out of New Mexico State’s upset dreams.
The Ashton Daniels Debut
Quarterback Ashton Daniels, the Auburn transfer, made his first start in garnet and gold and did enough to leave Tallahassee cautiously optimistic. He finished 17-of-27 for 202 yards, threw a touchdown pass, and added a rushing score.
The numbers are not going to win any awards. But Daniels was efficient when it mattered, made plays with his legs, and looked composed in a game where the first half offered plenty of reasons to press. Composure from your quarterback in Week 0 is worth its weight in gold.
FSU needed this from Daniels. After a nightmare 2024 season and a rebuilding 2025, Mike Norvell’s program is trying to reestablish itself, and that starts with reliable quarterback play. One game does not settle anything, but the vibes are better today than they were 24 hours ago.
The New Mexico State Fight
Credit where it is due. New Mexico State quarterback Trey Hedden played the game of his life for two and a half quarters, finishing 26-of-42 for 272 yards and two touchdowns. When the Aggies pulled within a touchdown in the third quarter, the fanbase watching at home was probably reaching for their phones.
Then FSU flipped the switch. Seventeen unanswered points in the second half turned a nervous evening into a manageable one. That is the difference between having ACC talent and having Sun Belt talent. When both teams get tired, the more athletic roster wins.
What This Means For FSU
Norvell needed a clean opener. He got a messy one that ended with a comfortable score. That is fine for Week 0 against a program of this caliber. What matters is that FSU found a workhorse in Kromah, got a functional debut from Daniels, and did not lose anyone significant to injury.
The offensive line was a mixed bag. The pass protection had some rough moments, but the run game got downhill in the second half, and Kromah’s fourth-quarter burst suggested those guys started imposing their will as the game wore on. Encouraging, if not conclusive.
Week 0 In Context
Florida State was part of an eight-game FBS Week 0 slate, and the Seminoles took care of business the way you have to when you are trying to rebuild credibility. No slip-ups, no embarrassing moments, and just enough juice from the new quarterback to keep the conversation positive.
The real tests are coming. FSU’s ACC schedule this year is not a joke, and there are non-conference dates that will define the season. But teams do not fix seasons in Week 0. They just make sure they do not lose one. FSU did that.
The Kromah moment stands out most. When a program is searching for identity, sometimes a 52-yard touchdown run is the loudest answer.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
