TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On a Labor Day night that started almost two hours late, No. 19 SMU opened its season with a narrow road win over Florida State, sealed by Nick Reed’s 20-yard field goal with 21 seconds left.
A delayed start
The game was supposed to begin at 7:35 p.m. but was moved to 9:15 p.m. after a power outage, and when play began, officials kept time on the field at Doak Campbell Stadium. ESPN carried the broadcast.
How it unfolded
SMU struck first. Quarterback Kevin Jennings connected with Jalen Cooper on a 50-yard touchdown pass to finish a six-play, 75-yard drive. Florida State answered in the opening quarter when Ashton Daniels ran in from 8 yards out to cap a 14-play, 75-yard march.
The Mustangs added a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jennings to Randy Pittman Jr. in the second quarter, while the Seminoles got a 46-yard field goal from Gabe Panikowski. Reed’s 22-yard kick late in the half sent SMU to the locker room up 17-10.
Momentum shifted after the break. SMU was held scoreless in the third quarter, and Florida State intercepted Jennings twice in the second half, through Ashlynd Barker and Nehemiah Chandler, and forced a muffed punt that set up a third-quarter touchdown. The Seminoles also scored on a 39-yard pass from Daniels to Samuel Singleton Jr. and a 7-yard run by Ousmane Kromah.
SMU responded with a three-play, 83-yard drive ending in a 79-yard Jennings touchdown pass to Yannick Smith, then put together the game-winning drive in the closing minutes.
By the numbers
Jennings finished 26 of 36 for a career-high 430 yards and three touchdowns. Smith caught five passes for 107 yards. For Florida State, Kromah ran 22 times for 116 yards, including a 54-yard carry, and Daniels went 12 of 23 for 125 yards.
SMU outgained Florida State 585 yards to 324 per the official team stats, and SMU’s athletic department said the total was the program’s highest ever against an ACC opponent. Third downs were a clear difference: the Mustangs converted 8 of 14 and scored twice in the fourth quarter, while the Seminoles missed their first 10 attempts. Florida State held the ball longer, 32:16 to 27:44, and went 2 of 4 on fourth down.
What it means
The win moved SMU to 1-0 overall and in ACC play, while Florida State fell to 1-1 and 0-1. The Seminoles had opened with a 34-17 win over New Mexico State.
