Kevin Jennings throws for a career-high 430 yards as No. 19 SMU survives four turnovers and beats Florida State 27-24 in Tallahassee.
No. 19 SMU football opened its 2026 season with exactly the kind of road win that can matter in November, surviving Florida State 27-24 Monday night after a bizarre delay and a chaotic four quarters at Doak Campbell Stadium.
The Mustangs weren’t clean. They weren’t careful with the football. But with Kevin Jennings running the offense, they were explosive enough to overcome almost everything that went wrong.
Jennings threw for a career-high 430 yards and three touchdowns, repeatedly attacking a Florida State defense that struggled to slow SMU through the air.
He also committed two turnovers as part of a four-turnover night for the Mustangs, keeping the Seminoles alive much longer than SMU would’ve liked.
Still, when SMU needed answers, Jennings kept producing them.
The night began strangely before either offense ever took the field. A power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium delayed kickoff for more than 90 minutes after problems arose while electricity was being restored.
Players eventually returned to their locker rooms as officials worked through the issue before the game finally got underway.
Once it did, SMU showed why it entered the season ranked No. 19 and viewed as a legitimate ACC contender.
The Mustangs moved the football consistently but repeatedly gave Florida State opportunities through turnovers and mistakes.
That allowed the Seminoles to hang around despite being outproduced through the air.
Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels couldn't match Jennings' production, and the Seminoles' defense struggled to get SMU off schedule.
Even so, FSU stayed within striking distance and had a chance late before SMU ultimately secured the victory with the decisive field goal.
For Rhett Lashlee, the result matters more than the style points.
SMU leaves Tallahassee 1-0 with a conference road victory and another strong performance from one of the ACC's most dangerous quarterbacks. The Mustangs also leave with a lengthy correction list.
Four turnovers will get a team beaten against better opponents, and SMU won't want to rely on Jennings throwing for more than 400 yards every week to survive.
Florida State, meanwhile, falls to 1-1 and the pressure around coach Mike Norvell figures to intensify. Frustration was obvious inside Doak Campbell Stadium as the Seminoles let a winnable game slip away.
SMU wasn't flawless Monday night.
It was good enough, and in September, a 27-24 ACC road win counts all the same.
