College football is back, and Florida State kicks off its season on Saturday against New Mexico State. The Seminoles and Aggies have identical 7-17 records over the past two seasons, and both teams will be looking to get back to winning football games.
The New Mexico State Aggies have one dubious distinction in common with their Week 0 hosts, the Florida State Seminoles: They too have lost 17 games over the past two campaigns, an uninspiring 7-17 record. Two winning seasons in the last seven for the Aggies have not removed the stigma of being branded a losing program historically.
Their most recent claim to relevancy was producing quarterback Diego Pavia, who led the program to a 10-5 record in 2023, then transferred to Vanderbilt and led the Commodores to a 10-3 record and became a finalist for the Heisman Trophy last season.
Florida State has played New Mexico State only once in their history, way back in 1964. In that game, receiver Fred Biletnikoff, a member of both the NFL and College Football Halls of Fame, caught four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown in a 36-0 victory.
Florida State has a 56-23 (.709) record all-time in season openers and a 60-19 record (.759) in home openers.
Broadcast Information
Date: Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Fla.
TV: The CW
Betting Odds: Florida State -32.5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook
New Mexico State Aggies
This season, the Aggies return 10 starters from their 4-8 squad of a year ago. They will start an FCS transfer quarterback in Trey Hedden, who arrives from Furman. Hedden passed for 2,967 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Paladins last season, and produced two games of over 300 yards passing, and six games with multiple-touchdown passes.
The Aggies return running back James Jones, who averaged an outstanding 9.8 yards per carry and gained 958 yards and scored nine touchdowns. On the perimeter, Hedden will throw to Ty King, who hauled in 41 catches for 588 yards and three scores.
On defense, the Aggies talent is at linebacker. Linebacker Tony Gethers posted 89 tackles, which was second on the team. In addition, Gethers added 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two pass breakups, two quarterback pressures, and two forced fumbles.
Florida State Seminoles
The Seminoles exit fall camp presumably a far different team than the one that has also been on the losing end of 17 gridiron battles over the past two seasons. Florida State will start its third transfer quarterback in three years, Ashton Daniels, who has not exactly set the college football world on fire with his quarterback play in stops at Stanford and Auburn.
However, Daniels has found a renewed sense of purpose and newfound confidence in playing the most important position on the field. Daniels will not be without weapons, with running back Ousmane Kromah at his back, and talented receivers on his flanks, including 6-foot-6 Duce Robinson, a preseason All-American and All-ACC selection. Michai Danzy, who possesses elite track speed, will stretch the field vertically for a chance at big plays and big yardage.
The Florida State defense returns the Desir twins and Daniel Lyons on the defensive line, and Jabril Rawls in the secondary. Linebacker Chris Jones is one to watch and should be a powerful force that Florida State linebackers have produced for decades. Rawls and Jones are preseason All-ACC selections by Phil Steele.
Prediction
This is a game in which the Seminoles should cover the spread and win handily, and an opportunity for Florida State to make an example of New Mexico State.
It is a golden opportunity to show their fans and the college football world they are worthy once again of relevancy on the football field, like all the great Seminoles’ teams before them. Aug. 29 will be a day of reckoning for Florida State as they will most assuredly bring a different mindset and a violence of action in their style of play, which should result in a decided victory.
