In a dramatic opening‑week showdown that tested both teams’ resolve, No. 19 SMU earned a 27‑24 victory over Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium. The game, delayed nearly two hours by a stadium power outage, finally got underway at 9:15 p.m., and SMU’s offense exploded early.
Kevin Jennings delivers career‑best performance
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings shook off two early interceptions to lead a decisive scoring drive that culminated in a 20‑yard field goal by Nick Reed with just 21 seconds remaining. Jennings completed 26 of 36 passes for a career‑high 430 yards and three touchdowns. His long‑range strike of 50 yards to Jalen Cooper and a 10‑yard pass to transfer Randy Pittman helped the Mustangs amass 585 total offensive yards.
“I thought Kevin played awesome,” SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee said after the game. “He was in control. Threw it for 430; he ran it when he needed to. He’s a player. Really proud of him.”
Florida State fights back but falls short
Florida State’s offense was anchored by sophomore running back Ousmane Kromah, who logged 22 carries for 116 yards, including a 54‑yard rush and a 7‑yard touchdown, marking his second consecutive 100‑yard game. Quarterback Ashton Daniels completed 12 of 23 passes for 125 yards and connected with Samuel Singleton Jr. on a 39‑yard touchdown pass. Daniels also added an 8‑yard rushing touchdown on a 14‑play, 75‑yard drive in the first quarter.
Florida State coach Mike Norvell acknowledged the missed opportunities: “We got to go make plays in the passing game when opportunities present themselves. Didn’t do a good job protecting with that throughout; some inconsistencies there that we got to clean up. It’s a shame to come up a field goal short.”
Key moments and defensive highlights
Both defenses forced turnovers. SMU safety Ashlynd Barker and linebacker Nehemiah Chandler each recorded interceptions in the second half for Florida State. The Seminoles also forced a muffed punt that set up a third‑quarter touchdown.
SMU converted 8 of 14 third‑down attempts and executed two fourth‑quarter scoring drives, while Florida State struggled on third down, converting only 2 of 15 attempts.
Looking ahead
SMU will host UC Davis on Saturday, hoping to build on the opening‑week triumph. Florida State, now 1‑1, has a bye week before traveling to face No. 13 Alabama on Sept. 19.
Despite the chaotic start and a hostile crowd, the Mustangs showed poise and resilience, qualities that coach Lashlee praised: “We asked them to be calm in the chaos. Couldn’t be more chaotic than the first hour and a half.” The win positions SMU to argue for a higher ranking in the next AP poll.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
