Florida State is squaring off against New Mexico State this Saturday in Doak Campbell Stadium, and man, the oddsmakers aren’t giving the Aggies much of a shot. FSU is sitting as a massive 31.5-point favorite. The Seminoles desperately want to bounce back from a 5-7 season and snag their first bowl game appearance in three years, but don’t count out the Aggies just yet; they’re hungry after their own 4-8 finish last year and would love to spoil FSU’s fresh start.
Aggies’ Offense: Can They Even Move the Ball?
When you look at the Aggies’ offense, it gets a little grim, especially on the ground. Last season, their rushing attack was one of the worst in college football, averaging a measly 77.3 yards per game and finishing with only 927 total yards for the entire year. You just can’t pull off an upset against a powerhouse like FSU with numbers like that unless something drastically changes. The good news for NMSU? They’ve got a new starting quarterback in Trey Hedden. He comes over after two years at Furman, where he played in 22 games and started 20. Hedden racked up 4,734 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions during his time there, including completing 68.5% of his passes for 2,967 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 2025. He’s got experience, but can he elevate that anemic rushing game by himself? We’ll see. Don’t sleep on wide receiver TK King either; he missed the first four games last season but still snagged 41 receptions for 588 yards and 3 touchdowns, finishing second on the team in all three categories. He’s definitely a threat FSU needs to watch out for.
Defense and That Brutal Week 0 History
While the Aggies’ defense allowed 402 yards and 34 points per game last season, including a whopping 165 rushing yards every week, there’s one silver lining. They were absolute ballhawks, forcing 24 turnovers, which tied them for 14th most in the FBS. That’s a huge stat! If they can keep that up, forcing crucial mistakes from FSU, maybe, just maybe, they can keep this game closer than that 31.5-point spread suggests. But here’s the kicker: New Mexico State has a terrible history in Week 0 games, losing all four since 2018. They’ve fallen to Wyoming (2018), UTEP (2021), Nevada (2022), and UMass (2023). Florida State is absolutely looking to keep that trend going.
This Saturday is more than just a season opener for FSU; it’s a chance to avoid pouring “more gasoline on the fire” regarding head coach Mike Norvell’s future. For New Mexico State, it’s a golden opportunity to shock the college football world and prove they’re better than their record and that massive point spread suggests. Don’t miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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