Comparing Florida State and New Mexico State's quarterbacks

Comparing Florida State and New Mexico State's quarterbacks

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Comparing Florida State and New Mexico State's quarterbacks

It's game week. The Florida State Seminoles will take on the New Mexico State Aggies at Doak Campbell Stadium this Saturday to open the 2026 season.

Here's what you should know about New Mexico State, particularly their quarterbacking situation compared to Florida State's.

New Mexico State: Who is QB Trey Hedden?

Trey Hedden prepares to throw a pass during a New Mexico State football practice in 2026.

Head coach Tony Sanchez named Hedden the starting quarterback last month. The transfer from Furman spent two seasons with the Paladins, where they went 3-8 in 2024 and 6-6 in 2025. In 2025, Hedden put up the following stats:

  • Completions/Attempts: 287/420 (68.3%)
  • Yards: 2,967 (247.2 YPG)
  • Touchdowns: 17
  • Interceptions: 13
  • Best Game vs. Campbell: 26/35, 314 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
  • Starts: 12
  • Record: 6-6

Hedden joins a solid quarterback room filled with nobody above a junior classification. As the most experienced quarterback on the team, Hedden will likely maintain the starting job for the entire season. It should be noted that Sanchez has named him as the starter only for Week 0, so that could change depending on his performance.

Florida State: Who is QB Ashton Daniels?

Jul 15, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Ashton Daniels speaks to the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

FSU fans are hoping Daniels is the savior of this program after two miserable seasons. The transfer from Auburn spent one year with the Tigers, and prior to that he was a Stanford Cardinal from 2022-25. At Auburn last year, in limited action, here were his numbers:

  • Completions/Attempts: 68/119 (57.1%)
  • Yards: 797 (199.2 YPG)
  • Touchdowns: 3
  • Interceptions: 2
  • Best Game vs. No. 16 Vanderbilt: 31/44, 353 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
  • Starts: 3 (4 total games played)
  • Record: 1-3

Mike Norvell has had high praise for Daniels, saying: "I think he's got a great understanding, control, and has been highly efficient and explosive in the things we've asked him to do.  I think he's done a really good job."

FSU opens its 2026 season against the New Mexico State Aggies on Aug. 29. Fans can catch Saturday's game on the CW Network at 7 p.m. ET.

Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of FSU news, notes, and opinions. Jacob Smith is a contributor for FSU Wire, part of the USA TODAY Network. You can also follow Jacob on X at @jsmith_sports.

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Comparing Florida State and New Mexico State's quarterbacks

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos