Aggies fall to Florida State 34-17 in season opener

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The New Mexico State Aggies opened their season on the road Saturday night, falling to Florida State 34-17 at Doak Campbell Stadium.

The Aggies showed flashes throughout the night, particularly through the air, but Florida State's rushing attack helped the Seminoles pull away late.

NMSU quarterback Trey Hedden turned in a strong debut, completing 24 of 36 passes for 249 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He helped lead an Aggie offense that finished with 291 total yards.

New Mexico State's first touchdown of the season came midway through the second quarter when Hedden connected with Brodie Malone-Bradford for a 33-yard touchdown. Malone-Bradford finished with six receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown, leading the Aggies in receiving.

The Aggies continued to battle in the second half.

After Florida State extended its lead to 24-10, NMSU answered with a 38-yard field goal from Isaac Uvaydov. Then, with just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Hedden found TK King for a 34-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 27-17.

The touchdown capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive and gave the Aggies another opportunity to make it a one-score game.

But Florida State responded with a late 90-yard scoring drive, with Ousmane Kromah punching in a one-yard touchdown with just over four minutes remaining to put the game out of reach.

Kromah finished with 115 rushing yards and a touchdown, while the Seminoles totaled 207 rushing yards.

For NMSU, the passing game was the biggest bright spot. The Aggies finished with 249 passing yards compared to just 42 rushing yards. They also converted 10-of-15 third-down opportunities, helping them sustain drives against the Seminoles.

Defensively, S. Aupiu led the Aggies with eight tackles, while G. Peterson recorded a half-sack.

New Mexico State now begins the season 0-1 and will look to bounce back in its next matchup.

FINAL: Florida State 34, New Mexico State 17.