Whaley raced out to a 3 Up lead multiple times, but Loflin kept clawing back and tied the match after the 17th hole. Whaley closed it out on 18 with a four-foot bogey putt to win 1 Up. "Honestly, my entire body is shaking," Whaley said. "That was one of the longest par putts I've ever had in my entire life, and there was a lot at stake, as well."

The win comes with real hardware attached: Whaley is now exempt into both the 2027 Masters and the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, regardless of how Sunday's final goes.

Whaley faces American Jay Leng Jr., this year's Western Amateur champion, in a 36-hole final starting at 8 a.m. Sunday. Coverage begins at 3 p.m. on Peacock, with NBC picking up from 4-6 p.m.

FSU coach Trey Jones has been at Merion all week and likes what he's seen. "Tomorrow is going to be fun," Jones said, noting Whaley's only real hiccups Saturday came on a pair of over-aggressive wedge shots he expects him to learn from.

FSU is unbeaten in 11 straight games dating back to last season and has extended its non-conference unbeaten streak to 34 games. The Seminoles are 7-0-0 all-time against FIU, including 2-0-0 on the road, and beat the Panthers 2-0 in Tallahassee a year ago.

FIU enters at 0-0-1 after a 1-1 draw at Florida Atlantic, with both goals coming in the final 15 minutes. Sunday's game is FIU's home opener.

Kickoff is 6 p.m. ET at FIU Soccer Stadium in Miami, streaming on ESPN+.

FSU returns home Thursday for its regular-season opener against FAU, the first year tickets will be required for every home match, continuing a stretch where the Seminoles have opened 4-0-1 in five seasons immediately following a national title.

Hughes got his qualifications, ran his own carpentry business by 19, and was financially comfortable, but always wanted to be a professional athlete. He went back to finish his diploma, found the kicking academy ProKick Australia well into his twenties, and worked his way through City College of San Francisco and New Mexico before landing at FSU for his final season of eligibility at 28.

"I'd seen ProKick and I saw athletes that were over here that were half the athlete that I am," Hughes said. "I was like, 'I can kick a ball, man.'"

Hughes has grown to over 50,000 Instagram followers and 25,000 on TikTok, largely through day-in-the-life content he says is intentionally unpolished. "My content is very genuine and authentic," he said. "There's no like, 'Oh my god, look at me.'" He can no longer go to Publix without being recognized.

On the field, he ranked seventh nationally in net punting last season at New Mexico (43.0 yards) and was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list Friday. Special teams coordinator Adam Scheier, who coached against him at UNLV, has been effusive about his talent since day one.

With Karson Hobbs out for the year, White said the staff has been moving pieces around to find answers, singling out Ricky Knight's move inside and a rotation that includes Nehemiah Chandler, Jamari Howard, and Chuck Kennon behind Ja'Bril Rawls and Quindarrius Jones. At safety, White called K.J. Kirkland and CJ Richard Jr. "co-starters."

At linebacker, White credited Blake Nichelson and Omar Graham Jr. alongside Chris Jones, saying Nichelson is playing his best football since White arrived, and praised Mikai Gbayor's 20-pound weight loss since he got to campus. At Jack, Kennedy and Anderson remain "co-starters" pushing each other, with Jaemin Pinckney also drawing praise for beating blocks off the edge.

FSU's first-year offensive coordinator said Boggs has "won probably every rep where the ball has come to him" since returning from injury, but was clear the Boggs-Lopez competition isn't really a position battle: "It's not a position where those two guys are competing at the same position. You're a receiver. You're gonna play all over the place."

On the ground, Harris said Tre Wisner "doesn't have a whole lot of ground to make up" despite missing both scrimmages, calling him a security blanket for FSU's younger backs. At tight end, he named Landen Thomas, Desirrio Riles, and Chase Loftin as the top three in that order, with Greyson Labiad rounding out the group as a blocking specialist.

Henshaw pointed to defensive coordinator Tony White entering year two, historically when a new coordinator's scheme clicks, as the single biggest reason for optimism. He also credited the single transfer portal window this cycle for roster continuity: "The guys we see out there on Saturdays will be the same guys that have been here all the way through spring practice."

He's especially bullish on Mike Norvell reclaiming play-calling duties, calling it "a tremendous positive" given the coach has surrounded himself with staff loyal to him, Gabe Fertitta, Ernie Sims, Austin Tucker, and others he's worked with before.

Henshaw flagged FSU as the only team facing all four of the ACC's preseason top-four picks, Miami, SMU, Louisville, and Clemson, plus tougher out-of-conference dates against Alabama and Florida than most Power Four teams schedule.

He also noted the schedule's uneven rhythm, a Monday night game, a 12-day break instead of a normal bye, and three Friday night games, makes it harder for players to find a routine. His hope for the two non-conference tune-ups against New Mexico State and Central Arkansas: get the backups extensive run. "I guarantee you, there will be several guys that we don't expect to be playing much, who will have a major role in determining whether we beat Florida or not."

FSU's six-year graduation rate has climbed to 86 percent, the university now ranks No. 21 among public schools nationally, and research expenditures are up 50 percent since 2021 to a record $488 million. Alumni and donors gave a record $235.4 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year.

McCullough's tenure has also included the completed football facility and business school, a new FSU Health initiative backed by $125 million in state funding, and a $65 million gift from Dr. Herbert Wertheim, the second-largest in university history.

McCullough and board of trustees chair Peter Collins chose to invest further in the football front office last winter rather than move on from Mike Norvell, a decision that remains a live point of debate among fans. He's been a regular presence at FSU games across sports, including trips to watch the soccer team's 2023 and 2025 national title runs.

FSU's law school is ranked No. 1 in the state and the film school fourth nationally among public programs, part of a broader academic push that's run parallel to the athletics investment.

Jameis Winston was sharp for the Giants, going 8 of 9 for 89 yards despite a fumble he recovered himself. Keir Thomas started for the Rams and racked up two quarterback hurries to go with a solo tackle.

Jared Verse started for the Browns in a 34-10 loss to the Bears, and Jashaun Corbin and the Cowboys were still playing the Seahawks as of Saturday night, leading 17-7.