SMU’s 2026 kickoff times are taking shape with Florida State, Louisville, Virginia Tech and Notre Dame highlighting the Mustangs’ ACC slate.
DALLAS - SMU football just got a clearer look at its 2026 runway, and the Mustangs won’t have to wait long for the spotlight.
The ACC announced kickoff times and TV assignments for the opening weeks of the season, along with weekday matchups, giving SMU fans several dates to circle right now.
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The Mustangs open Sept. 7 at Florida State in a Monday night showcase at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN, a massive early test and a chance to make national noise immediately.
That’s not exactly easing into the season.
SMU returns home Sept. 12 to face UC Davis at 3 p.m. CT on ACCNX before jumping right back into ACC heat on Sept. 19 at Louisville. That matchup is set for 2:30 p.m. CT and will air on ESPN or ESPN2.
The other locked-in time is a Friday night home game against Virginia Tech on Nov. 6.
That one kicks at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN at Ford Stadium, giving SMU a standalone national window in Dallas.
The Mustangs’ schedule has real bite. SMU has seven home games, including ACC matchups against Boston College, Virginia, Cal, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
Family Weekend comes Sept. 26 against Missouri State, while Homecoming lands Nov. 14 against Wake Forest.
The road slate is where things get spicy. Along with Florida State and Louisville, SMU travels to Syracuse, Notre Dame and Stanford.
The Nov. 21 trip to Notre Dame is already set for 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC and Peacock, one of the biggest brand-stage games on the entire schedule.
For SMU, this is what life in the ACC is supposed to look like: big brands, better TV windows and no shortage of pressure.
Now the Mustangs have the dates, the networks and the national platforms. Next comes the hard part ... proving they belong there.
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