Kevin Jennings delivered the game of his life on Labor Day night, passing for a career-best 430 yards and three touchdowns as No. 19 SMU outlasted Florida State 27-24 at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. The Mustangs' junior quarterback shook off a pair of interceptions to lead the game-winning drive, capped by Nick Reed's 20-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining, giving SMU a statement road victory to open Atlantic Coast Conference play.
The SMU vs Florida State matchup carried real weight for both programs. The Mustangs entered 2026 looking to build on a breakthrough run, while the Seminoles hoped to prove they had turned the corner. On this night, it was SMU that found a way when it mattered most.
Kevin Jennings' Career Night Carries SMU in Tallahassee
Jennings completed 26 of 36 passes, opening the scoring with a 50-yard touchdown strike to Jalen Cooper and later connecting with Randy Pittman — a Florida State transfer — for a 10-yard score against his former team. The Mustangs racked up 585 total yards and converted 8 of 14 third-down opportunities, including two decisive fourth-quarter scoring drives.
"I thought Kevin played awesome," SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee said. "He was in control. Threw it for 430, he ran it when he needed to. He's a player. Really proud of him. Proud of our guys for just finding a way to win."
"Getting the W is amazing," Jennings said. "It was a tough crowd environment on the road. Great team. Crowd was going crazy. … We've been preparing since January. It's nothing new for us. It's week 1. Mistakes are going to happen. But it's about how we respond."
Defensively, the Mustangs got a sack from Aakil Washington and a game-high 10 tackles from safety Tyren Polley Jr., helping SMU survive despite committing four turnovers.
A Power Outage Nearly Upstages the Opener
The drama began long before kickoff. The game was scheduled for a 7:35 p.m. start but was pushed back nearly two hours to 9:15 p.m. after a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium, with referees initially keeping time on the field while crews worked to restore the lights.
"We asked them to be calm in the chaos," Lashlee said. "Couldn't be more chaotic than the first hour and a half."
Florida State's Ground Game Keeps the Seminoles in the Fight
Florida State stayed within striking distance behind running back Ousmane Kromah, who rushed 22 times for 116 yards and a touchdown — his second consecutive 100-yard game to open his sophomore season. Quarterback Ashton Daniels added an 8-yard touchdown run on a 14-play, 75-yard opening drive and later hit Samuel Singleton Jr. for a 39-yard scoring pass.
But the passing game never found consistency. Daniels finished 12 of 23 for just 125 yards, and the Seminoles failed on their first 10 third-down attempts, finishing 2 of 15. Florida State's defense kept it close, forcing second-half interceptions by Ashlynd Barker and Nehemiah Chandler and turning a muffed punt into a third-quarter touchdown.
"We got to go make plays in the passing game when opportunities present themselves," Florida State head coach Mike Norvell said. "Didn't do a good job protecting with that throughout, some inconsistencies there that we got to clean up. We got to get that corrected. … We had our opportunities. It's a shame to come up a field goal short."
Why SMU's Road Win Matters in the ACC Race
The victory kept the Mustangs unbeaten and in first place in the ACC standings after Week 1, and it strengthens SMU's case to climb from No. 19 in the next AP Top 25 poll. Opening conference play with a road win over a traditional power is precisely the kind of result that positions a program as a genuine contender in the conference championship race.
Since joining the ACC in 2024, SMU has established itself as one of the league's most dynamic offenses — a run that included a College Football Playoff berth in its debut conference season. Monday night reinforced that identity, even amid the turnovers. Florida State, by contrast, opens ACC play 0-1 and faces an early uphill climb to stay relevant in the league race.
Where Both Teams Stand After Week 1
SMU sits at 1-0 overall and 1-0 in the ACC, having outgained the Seminoles 585-324 in total yards and piled up 23 first downs. The four turnovers — two Jennings interceptions, a muffed punt and another giveaway — kept the margin tight despite the Mustangs' offensive dominance.
Florida State dropped to 1-1 overall and 0-1 in the ACC. Kromah's 116-yard night was a bright spot, and the defense made enough plays to stay within a field goal, but the passing game's struggles and third-down inefficiency ultimately proved costly.
What's Next for the Mustangs and Seminoles
SMU returns home to host UC Davis on Saturday before a Sept. 19 trip to face No. 24 Louisville, a matchup that will test the Mustangs' early standing atop the ACC. Florida State has a bye week to regroup before a marquee road test at No. 13 Alabama on Sept. 19.
For Jennings and the Mustangs, the focus now turns to cleaning up the turnovers while building on a performance that announced SMU as a team to watch in the conference race. For Florida State, the bye arrives at a crucial moment as Norvell works to fix the protection and passing-game issues that surfaced Monday night.
The Bottom Line: SMU vs Florida State Key Takeaways
- Kevin Jennings delivered a career night: 430 passing yards and three touchdowns, including the drive that set up the winning kick.
- SMU's offense is explosive: 585 total yards and 8-of-14 on third down, even while turning the ball over four times.
- Florida State's passing game needs work: The Seminoles finished 2-of-15 on third down and managed just 125 passing yards.
- Ousmane Kromah is a rising star: Back-to-back 100-yard games to begin his sophomore season.
- ACC implications: SMU opens conference play 1-0 with a chance to climb in the polls, while FSU faces an early must-win stretch after a bye.
