As the 2026 college football season approaches, it's time to take a closer look at the starting quarterback situations for Florida State's opponents. While the Seminoles have yet to announce their own starter, several of their rivals have already named their QB1s, providing an interesting insight into the upcoming season. In this article, I'll analyze the QB1s for each of Florida State's 2026 opponents, offering my personal perspective and commentary on each situation.
New Mexico State: A Battle of the Transfers
New Mexico State's QB1 battle is between two transfers: Trey Hedden and Adam Damante. Hedden, a Tampa native, seems to have the edge after starting eight games as a true freshman and all 12 games last season at Furman. His passing statistics are impressive, with 1,767 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024, and 2,967 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2025. Damante, on the other hand, has experience at Northern Arizona and Arizona, but his time at New Mexico State was limited to five games with two starts. While Damante has more passing yards, Hedden's consistency and experience make him the likely starter.
SMU: A Familiar Face at the Helm
SMU's Kevin Jennings is a familiar name at quarterback, with 39 career appearances and 26 starts. Last season, he compiled 3,641 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Jennings has shown improvement with his rushing ability, with 354 yards and five touchdowns in 2024, up from 142 yards and one touchdown the previous season. His experience and versatility make him a strong contender for the starting role.
Alabama: A Battle of the Freshmen
Alabama has not yet named a starter, but the battle between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell is intriguing. Mack, a fourth-year signal-caller, served as the backup last season, seeing action in four games. Russell, a former five-star recruit, saw action in two games as a true freshman. While Russell has more passing yards, Mack's experience and the fact that Alabama didn't name a starter until August could give him an edge. The battle between these two freshmen will be fascinating to watch.
Central Arkansas: A Murky Situation
Central Arkansas has six quarterbacks on its roster, and none have thrown a pass for the Bears. The most likely starter is Walker White, a transfer from Baylor who made one appearance in 2024 at Auburn. White's size and experience make him a strong contender. Donovyn Omolo, a transfer from Central Missouri, also has experience with 10 games played last season. The situation is murky, but White seems to be the odds-on favorite.
Virginia: A Transfer's Turn
Virginia's starting quarterback is Beau Pribula, a transfer from Missouri. Pribula has experience at Penn State and Missouri, starting all 10 games he was available for last season at Mizzou. His passing statistics are impressive, with 1,941 yards and 11 touchdowns. Pribula's experience and consistency make him a strong contender for the starting role.
Louisville: A Redshirt Junior's Turn
Louisville's starting quarterback is Lincoln Kienholz, a redshirt junior who transferred from Ohio State. Kienholz has experience at Ohio State, appearing in seven games last season. His passing statistics are solid, with 139 yards and a touchdown. While he has less experience than some of his counterparts, his size and potential make him a strong contender for the starting role.
Miami: A Transfer's Potential
Miami's starting quarterback is Darian Mensah, a transfer from Duke. Mensah is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound redshirt junior who is likely to be named the Preseason Player of the Year for the Atlantic Coast Conference. His passing statistics are impressive, with 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns at Duke. Mensah's experience and potential make him a strong contender for the starting role.
Clemson: A Battle of the Freshmen
Clemson's starting quarterback is Christopher Vizzina, a redshirt junior who has appeared in 14 games with one start over the past three seasons. Vizzina's passing statistics are solid, with 596 yards and four touchdowns. However, freshman Tait Reynolds is providing competition for the role. Reynolds, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound dual-threat, missed a majority of his senior year of high school due to a hamstring injury but has the potential to be a strong contender.
Boston College: A Transfer's Arrival
Boston College's starting quarterback is Mason McKenzie, a redshirt junior who transferred from Saginaw Valley State. McKenzie has experience at Saginaw Valley State, throwing for over 4,300 yards and 31 touchdowns in 25 career games. His passing statistics are impressive, with 2,086 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. McKenzie's experience and potential make him a strong contender for the starting role.
Pitt: A Sophomore's Rise
Pitt's starting quarterback is Mason Heintschel, a sophomore who made 10 appearances with nine starts as a true freshman. Heintschel's passing statistics are impressive, with 2,354 yards and 16 touchdowns. His size and potential make him a strong contender for the starting role.
NC State: A Junior's Experience
NC State's starting quarterback is CJ Bailey, a junior who has earned a great deal of experience with the Wolfpack over the past two seasons. Bailey's passing statistics are impressive, with 3,105 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. His experience and consistency make him a strong contender for the starting role.
Florida: A Battle of the Freshmen
Florida's starting quarterback is yet to be determined, but the battle between Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. is intriguing. Philo, a transfer from Georgia Tech, has experience at GT, while Jones Jr., a second-year player from Jacksonville, has limited experience. Philo's experience and the fact that he followed new Florida offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner make him a strong contender. However, Jones Jr.'s potential and the fact that he is a second-year player cannot be overlooked.
