DALLAS — The expectations surrounding SMU are noticeably higher these days, and the Mustangs will get an early test of those expectations Monday night.
SMU travels to Tallahassee for a Labor Day matchup with Florida State, opening the 2026 season in primetime as the No. 19 team in the AP Top 25 and No. 20 in the Coaches Poll.
It marks the second consecutive season SMU has appeared in the preseason top 20, something the program had not accomplished since the 1984 and 1985 seasons.
The Mustangs enter the season with plenty of momentum after establishing themselves as one of the ACC’s most successful teams since joining the league in 2024. SMU has gone 14-2 in ACC play over the past two seasons, the most conference victories by any ACC team during that span.
Overall, the Mustangs are 28-8 over their last 36 games and 27-5 in their last 32 regular-season contests.
Much of the attention will center on quarterback Kevin Jennings, who returns as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the country.
Jennings has won 19 games in his 26 starts at SMU, tying for the third-most victories among returning Power Four quarterbacks entering the season. Only Rocco Becht and Noah Fifita had more.
Jennings also enters the year as the ACC’s active career leader in passing yards with 7,709 and total offense with 8,267 yards.
His résumé has earned him preseason recognition from several major national awards. Jennings is on the watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.
The Mustangs’ recent success hasn’t been limited to their offense.
Since the beginning of the 2024 season, SMU has forced 50 turnovers, tied for seventh-most nationally and second-most in the ACC during that span.
Under coach Rhett Lashlee, the Mustangs have also developed a reputation for producing explosive offensive games. SMU is 32-4 in Lashlee’s four seasons when scoring at least 30 points.
The Mustangs have consistently spread the ball around, too. At least seven SMU receivers have caught a pass in 40 of the team’s past 43 games.
And when the offense gets rolling, it doesn’t take long. SMU had 15 touchdown drives in 2025 that lasted less than two minutes.
Monday’s game also gives the Mustangs an opportunity to extend a streak that dates back to 2019.
SMU has won seven consecutive season openers, its longest such streak since the program won 15 straight openers from 1972-86.
The Mustangs have been tested early during that run, including last year’s 42-13 victory over East Texas A&M and a 29-24 road win at Nevada in 2024.
Florida State already has a game under its belt this season. The Seminoles opened Aug. 29 with a 34-17 home victory over New Mexico State.
Ousmane Kromah rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown in the victory, while quarterback Ashton Daniels threw for 202 yards and a touchdown, with one interception.
The matchup will be just the second between SMU and Florida State.
The first came in 2024, when the Mustangs rolled to a 42-16 victory over the Seminoles at Ford Stadium.
Now the setting changes to Tallahassee, with considerably more at stake.
SMU arrives ranked, experienced and carrying the weight of heightened expectations. Florida State enters with the advantage of having already played a game.
For the Mustangs, the season-opening challenge is straightforward: turn the preseason hype into another statement performance on the road.
