After a grueling offseason eligibility battle, the Mustangs' star safety faces a new hurdle as a lengthy injury report threatens to sideline the All-ACC leader in Tallahassee.
SMU spent much of the offseason fighting to get Ahmaad Moses back on the field.
The Mustangs ultimately won that battle. Now, before Moses can even begin his unexpected return season, SMU has another reason to wonder whether its defensive leader will be on the field Monday night.
Moses was listed as questionable on SMU's initial availability report ahead of its season-opening ACC matchup against Florida State in Tallahassee.
Fellow safety Jaden Milliner-Jones and wide receiver Daylon Singleton were also listed as questionable.
Seven other Mustangs have already been ruled out: linebackers Caden Marshall and Kenneth Goodwin III, cornerback Deuce Gilbert, running backs EJ Kelly, Christian Rhodes and Link Rhodes, and offensive lineman Abel Hoopii.
Moses is easily the biggest name to watch.
His return to SMU only became possible after a lengthy eligibility battle this offseason, giving the Mustangs another year with one of the most productive players from their 2025 defense.
Moses started 12 of his 13 appearances last season and led SMU with 104 tackles. He added five interceptions, 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack and two fumble recoveries on his way to First-Team All-ACC honors.
His five interceptions ranked third in the ACC and seventh nationally.
The possibility of entering Tallahassee without him carries even more weight when considering the rest of SMU's availability report.
Milliner-Jones' questionable designation leaves two safeties uncertain for Monday, while Gilbert has already been ruled out at cornerback. Singleton gives the Mustangs another situation to monitor on the other side of the ball.
Florida State has plenty of names to watch, too.
Wide receiver Tae'Shaun Gelsey and defensive back K.J. Kirkland were listed as questionable, while tight end Gavin Markey was doubtful. Wide receiver Devin Carter and defensive backs Karson Hobbs, Chuck Kennon and Jordan Crutchfield were ruled out.
SMU still has time to receive better news on Moses.
The ACC requires schools to submit availability reports ahead of conference games, with the final game-day report due two hours before kickoff.
The Mustangs enter the season ranked No. 19 in the AP poll after finishing 8-4 overall and 6-2 in ACC play last year. Their first opportunity to build on that season comes immediately on the road against a Florida State team that already has a game under its belt.
SMU and Florida State will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET Monday at Doak Campbell Stadium on ESPN.
After everything it took for Moses to get another season at SMU, the Mustangs would certainly prefer not to begin it without him.
