Florida State will open ACC play at home on Labor Day night when it hosts preseason No. 19 SMU at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. on. It is a strong early test for Florida State and an important measuring-stick game for SMU, which has already established itself as one of the ACC's more difficult opponents in its first two seasons in the league.
Why this game matters
This matchup brings together a Florida State team that is trying to build momentum and an SMU program that has wasted little time becoming relevant in the conference. SMU beat Florida State 42-16 in Dallas in 2024, a game in which Kevin Jennings completed 16 of 23 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. That result still stands out as one of the clearest reminders of how quickly SMU has adapted to power-conference football.
The Mustangs also reached the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff as the 11th seed in 2024, then followed that up with a 6-2 ACC mark in 2025. Along the way, SMU also beat 10th-ranked Miami, further reinforcing that this is not a one-year flash. Florida State, meanwhile, opened its 2025 season with a 34-17 win over New Mexico State after trailing 17-10 in the third quarter, so this game will offer a much firmer read on where the Seminoles stand early in the 2026 college football season.
SMU's continuity is a big part of the story
Rhett Lashlee has guided SMU to a 38-16 record since replacing Sonny Dykes as head coach in 2022, and he brought Casey Woods and Scott Symons with him as his offensive and defensive coordinators. That continuity has helped the Mustangs avoid the kind of growing pains that often come with conference transition. SMU gave up its first nine years of ACC media rights to gain entry into the league, and so far the investment has paid off in the form of a playoff berth, ranked wins and a strong conference record.
The quarterback question also points back to continuity. Kevin Jennings is the expected starter, and his performance against Florida State in 2024 is one reason SMU enters this rematch with confidence. If he is sharp again, the Mustangs have a real chance to put pressure on Florida State from the opening series.
What Florida State needs to do
For Florida State, the challenge is straightforward: handle a ranked opponent at home and avoid letting SMU dictate the tempo. Doak Campbell Stadium should provide the setting for a high-profile ACC opener, but the Seminoles will need to be much cleaner than they were for long stretches in their 2025 opener. Against a team that has already shown it can win in conference play and handle big-game pressure, Florida State cannot afford an uneven start.
If the Seminoles can control the line of scrimmage and keep Kevin Jennings from settling in early, they can make this a tight primetime game. If not, SMU has already shown it is capable of turning a high-profile road trip into another statement win.
