No. 19 SMU opened the season with a 27-24 road victory over Florida State on Monday night, and quarterback Kevin Jennings immediately strengthened his case as a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender. Jennings completed 26 of 36 passes for 430 yards and three touchdowns, while Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels accounted for 196 total yards and two touchdowns. Running back Ousmane Kromah added 116 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Seminoles, who finished with 199 yards on the ground.
Jennings overcame two interceptions and helped SMU answer every major challenge in the second half. After Florida State tied the game at 24 on Daniels’ 39-yard touchdown pass to Samuel Singleton Jr., Jennings led a 71-yard, nine-play drive that set up Nick Reed’s 20-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining. SMU finished with 585 total yards, including 430 through the air, while converting 8 of 14 third downs.
The performance gives Jennings an early signature win for a Heisman campaign that SMU has already branded “K7NG OF DALLAS.” He entered the season as the ACC’s active leader in career passing yards and total offense, and Monday’s performance came against a Power Four opponent on the road. SMU had also officially launched its Heisman campaign for Jennings in July, making the senior quarterback’s performance in Tallahassee an immediate centerpiece of that pursuit.
SMU returns home Saturday, Sept. 12, to host UC Davis at Gerald J. Ford Stadium at 3 p.m. CT on ACCNX. Florida State enters its first bye week before traveling to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 19 for a 3:30 p.m. ET matchup with Alabama.
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