TALLAHASSEE, Florida — SMU did more than open its 2026 season with a win Monday night.
The Mustangs made a statement.
No. 19 SMU walked into Tallahassee and knocked off Florida State 27-24 behind a record-setting performance from quarterback Kevin Jennings, who threw for a career-high 430 yards and three touchdowns. The victory gave SMU its eighth consecutive season-opening win and its second straight victory over Florida State.
Jennings was in command throughout the night, becoming the first SMU quarterback to throw for more than 400 yards in a game since Tanner Mordecai passed for 432 yards against North Texas in 2022.
His 430 passing yards also helped SMU pile up 585 yards of total offense, the program’s most ever against an ACC opponent.
The Mustangs were particularly effective early, gaining 328 yards in the first half alone — 173 more than Florida State had at halftime.
SMU’s offense produced six explosive plays of at least 20 yards, with three of them coming through the air for touchdowns.
Jalen Cooper got the Mustangs on the board with a 50-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. Randy Pittman later added a 10-yard touchdown catch for his first score as a Mustang.
Then came Yannick Smith.
Smith broke loose for a 79-yard touchdown reception from Jennings, the longest catch of his career and his first touchdown as a Mustang. He finished with 107 receiving yards, giving him the fourth 100-yard receiving game of his career.
Jennings wasn’t simply finding one receiver.
Eight Mustangs caught a pass, continuing a trend that has seen at least seven SMU players record a reception in 41 of the team’s last 44 games.
Jennings also contributed with his legs, rushing for 33 yards, giving him 463 total yards of offense. That total ranks sixth in SMU history for a single game and is the most by a Mustang since Shane Buechele accounted for 501 yards against Memphis in 2020.
The performance marked another milestone for Jennings, who recorded his 10th career game with at least three touchdown passes.
SMU’s defense supplied enough resistance to make the offensive production stand.
The Mustangs recorded three sacks and eight tackles for loss while holding Florida State to 65 yards in the opening quarter. The Seminoles also started the game 0-for-8 on third down.
Jimmy Wyrick recorded the first sack of his career. Aakil Washington and Malcom Alcorn-Crowder also brought down the Florida State quarterback.
SMU’s defensive front has continued to make a living in opposing backfields. The Mustangs now have 127 sacks since the start of the 2023 season, according to SMU’s statistics.
La’Modrick Spencer recovered SMU’s lone forced turnover, giving the Mustangs 51 takeaways since the beginning of the 2024 season.
The victory continued a remarkable run under coach Rhett Lashlee. SMU is now 39-16 under Lashlee and 15-2 in ACC play. The Mustangs have won 28 of their last 33 regular-season games and 29 of their last 37 overall.
But there won’t be much time to celebrate.
SMU returns to Dallas for its home opener Saturday against UC Davis at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT
