No. 19 SMU defeated Florida State 27-24 on Monday night in Tallahassee, with Nick Reed's late field goal providing the winning margin in a game that was delayed more than 90 minutes due to a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium.
The contest, which wrapped up college football's Week 1 slate, was interrupted when a transformer blew as power was being restored to the stadium. What began as a brief delay stretched well over an hour as players from both teams returned to their locker rooms while crews worked to restore electricity.
Once play resumed, SMU struck first when quarterback Kevin Jennings found receiver Jalen Cooper on a 50-yard touchdown pass. Cooper had plenty of room to make the catch after what appeared to be a breakdown in Florida State's defensive backfield, giving the Mustangs an early 7-0 lead with 9:32 left in the first quarter.
Florida State answered on their next possession after recovering a fumble. SMU receiver Jalen Hale was hit after a solid run and lost the ball, giving the Seminoles good field position. The teams traded scores throughout the night before Reed's field goal sealed the victory for the Mustangs.
The win puts SMU at 1-0 to start their ACC campaign. The Mustangs entered the season as one of the favorites in the conference and are considered capable of returning to the College Football Playoff for the second time in three seasons with Jennings healthy at quarterback.
Jennings, a third-year starter, was bothered by a foot injury for much of the 2025 season but still threw for over 3,600 yards. His connection with Cooper on the opening touchdown demonstrated the big-play potential that makes SMU dangerous in the expanded ACC.
For Florida State, the loss continues early-season concerns around head coach Mike Norvell's program. The Seminoles had previously defeated New Mexico State 34-17 in Week Zero, a performance that didn't exactly set the world on fire according to observers. The defeat to SMU will likely intensify scrutiny on Norvell as the season progresses.
Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels showed flashes throughout the game, completing short passes and converting key situations, including a fourth-down conversion that helped move the Seminoles into the red zone during one drive. However, it wasn't enough to overcome SMU's balanced attack.
The victory gives SMU momentum heading into conference play, while Florida State will need to regroup quickly to avoid falling behind in what promises to be a competitive ACC race. The power outage delay added an unusual wrinkle to an already important early-season matchup between two programs with playoff aspirations.
