FanDuel has FSU as a 32.5-point favorite with a total of 52.5 points, translating to a moneyline of -20000 for the Seminoles against +3500 for the Aggies, about as lopsided as betting lines get.

Staff predictions from Noles247, Tomahawk Nation and NoleGameday collectively landed in a tight band, with picks ranging from 36-13 to 59-10 and a rough consensus settling around 44-13, every single outlet expecting a comfortable FSU win.

Looking further out, Warchant's staff roundtable landed on FSU as a slight favorite over No. 19 SMU on September 7, with several panelists noting a loss to the Mustangs would put Mike Norvell's job squarely on the line entering the Alabama game.

Season-long predictions across multiple outlets clustered around 6-6 or 7-5, with panelists broadly agreeing that eight wins is the number that likely keeps Norvell in Tallahassee beyond this year.

FSU ran 54 times for 498 yards and eight touchdowns against Kent State a year ago, and while nobody expects that exact volume again, the staff wants to see a genuine workhorse rotation between Ousmane Kromah, Samuel Singleton Jr. and Quintrevion Wisner behind a line featuring four transfer starters.

Kromah specifically needs to show a "next gear," a few real breakaway runs rather than just efficient, contact-avoiding carries, the kind of explosive play that was largely missing from his freshman tape.

With 22 career interceptions against 24 touchdowns, Ashton Daniels' turnover history is the single biggest swing factor for this offense, and a clean night of ball security matters more than the box score.

Equally important is his confidence level. Daniels has been open about needing to feel comfortable in the pocket, and how he responds to any early adversity will say plenty about carrying that into the SMU game.

New Mexico State's offensive line returns four new starters, giving FSU's defensive front, led by the Desir twins, Rylan Kennedy and Jalen Anderson, a real chance to show it can win one-on-ones consistently rather than needing extra rushers to get home.

It is also the first real look at Year 2 of Tony White's scheme with a roster full of returning pieces, from Daniel Lyons and Kevin Wynn up front to Ja'Bril Rawls and Ashlynd Barker on the back end, all playing with a full offseason of familiarity in the system.

Daniels is a genuinely good runner who understands down-and-distance situations and isn't afraid to lower his shoulder between the tackles, the kind of instinctive running that should translate immediately behind FSU's line.

Turnovers were less of a problem than his Stanford track record might suggest. Lang found relatively few turnover-worthy throws in Daniels' Auburn tape, a meaningfully better trend than his career numbers alone would indicate.

The biggest open question is anticipation. Daniels' Auburn tape shows him routinely waiting to see a route come open and resetting his feet before throwing, rather than trusting his read and ripping the ball on time, the exact trait that separates good college quarterbacks from great ones.

Whether FSU's rebuilt offensive line gives him enough time to develop that trust in real games remains the single biggest variable for how good this offense can actually be.

Beat writer Nick Coppola said New Mexico State's biggest challenge under Tony Sanchez has simply been the program's lack of history and resources to build on, not anything specific to Sanchez himself, who also struggled at UNLV.

Coppola singled out the Aggies' offensive line as the key swing factor, noting NMSU has failed to field a two-dimensional offense in either of Sanchez's first two seasons, and predicted a 6-6 season if the group can finally block for both the run and the pass.

Furman transfer quarterback Trey Hedden threw for 2,967 yards and 17 touchdowns last season while completing 68.3 percent of his passes, and receiver TK King, a dangerous return man who once housed a 100-yard kickoff return, is his top target.

Linebacker Sone Aupiu (68 tackles) and defensive end Gabe Peterson (nine quarterback hurries) anchor a defense that forced 24 takeaways a year ago, tied for 14th nationally, even while ranking near the bottom of the sport in total defense.

Prince Che, the nation's No. 12 overall prospect and No. 2 defensive line prospect, is in Tallahassee today, and while FSU hasn't been mentioned much as a top contender, Che plays his high school football just 45 minutes from campus.

Four-star DB Mekhi Williams, who flipped from FSU to Wisconsin over the summer but said he didn't want to "close that door," and three-star tight end Josh Pettigrew, who committed to Georgia Tech after visiting there, are both back on campus as the Seminoles look to get back into their recruitments.

Several prospects pointed to Doak Campbell's traditions specifically. Top247 edge Jeremiah Figaro said he can't wait to see "the guy on the horse planting that flag," while running back Xander Edwards said he wants to see FSU look like "a candidate for the CFP."

Others framed the visit around relationships over results. Interior lineman Hunter Hill said he wants to get to know the coaching staff "beyond football," while committed edge Jaxon Holly is making his first trip to campus since pledging to FSU over the summer, bringing family along to see the atmosphere in person.

Seminole Boosters posted a record fundraising year with more than $106 million in pledges and $86.3 million in cash contributions, while Coaches Club giving grew 270 percent year over year to $11.1 million.

Season ticket sales sit at 27,838, down from 30,841 a year ago, though individual game sales are running 47 percent ahead of last year's pace, and student season tickets have nearly tripled from 589 to 1,517.

Alford and board leadership voiced support for most of the proposed Protect College Sports Act, particularly its transfer portal limits and antitrust protections, but strongly objected to a proposed 19-team cap on conference size and a five-year independence requirement for schools that switch leagues.

Board chair Peter Collins called the independence clause "a solution to a problem that's already being managed," and university president Richard McCullough said the provision would be "financially impossible" for a program like FSU's to absorb.

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Tallahassee-based engineering firm Danfoss signed a three-year athletics sponsorship, building on its existing five-year partnership with the FSU-FAMU College of Engineering, with plans to activate on Langford Green and inside the stadium with career-focused signage.

The deal aims to give student-athletes potential access to STEM internships, facility tours and training opportunities connected to Danfoss's advanced manufacturing and sustainable technology work.

ESPN included Rawls among its 51 sleeper players entering the season, noting he missed about half of last year with injury but was FSU's only defender to post multiple 10-tackle games in the seven starts he did play.

A healthy, full season from Rawls would give FSU's secondary a proven cornerback opposite a rotating group of newcomers, exactly the kind of stability the back end needs after last year's struggles.

FSU jumped out to a dominant 25-8 first set, hitting .737 as a team, but couldn't hold on, falling 3-2 to No. 24 BYU in Lindsay Allman's debut as head coach.

Bailey Higgins led all players with 14 kills on .423 hitting, while Kyleene Filimaua added 13 kills and a team-high 11 digs in the loss.

49ers linebacker Tatum Bethune had the standout performance of the week, posting nine tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and an interception in a win over the Raiders.

Bills receiver Keon Coleman is finally out of his protective boot, a positive sign as final roster cuts approach across the league.