Location: Doak Campbell Stadium — Tallahassee, Florida
Kickoff: Saturday, August 29 at 7 p.m. ET on The CW
DraftKings line: Florida State -31.5
Over/under: 53.5

The Setup

Few coaches enter this season under more pressure than Florida State’s Mike Norvell. This is a game the Seminoles are expected to win comfortably, but the performance will matter almost as much as the result.

Both teams imported experienced quarterbacks: Trey Hedden from Furman for New Mexico State and Ashton Daniels from Auburn for Florida State.

What I’m Watching

Can Florida State establish a complete offense instead of depending on quarterback improvisation?

Tommy Castellanos led the Seminoles with only 557 rushing yards last season. Daniels is another dangerous runner, but FSU needs its backs and offensive line to prevent the quarterback from becoming the entire ground game again.

Three Stats to Know

1. Daniels has produced 6,180 career yards.
He accumulated 4,783 passing yards and 1,397 rushing yards across Stanford and Auburn.

2. Duce Robinson is a legitimate No. 1 target.
Robinson caught 56 passes for 1,081 yards and six touchdowns. His five 120-yard games were second-most nationally.

3. Hedden’s interceptions came in clusters.
He completed 68.3% of his passes for 2,967 yards, but threw 13 interceptions. Six came in just two games.

How the Game Is Decided

New Mexico State was good at preventing explosive plays last season, so Florida State may have to stay patient. Daniels must avoid the mistakes and short fields that allow a massive underdog to linger. If FSU runs effectively and creates one-on-one opportunities for Robinson, the talent difference should eventually take over.

Prediction

Florida State should win going away. The meaningful question is whether the Seminoles can play cleanly enough to cover more than four touchdowns. My official picks will be released on my social channels.