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Florida State hosts SMU in ACC football opener Monday night

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 4, 2026, 11:48 PM

Last updated Sep 4, 2026

Florida State hosts SMU in ACC football opener Monday night

Summary

Florida State prepares for an ACC matchup against SMU on Labor Day at Doak Campbell Stadium. The game marks the second meeting in the history of the two programs. Florida State head coach Mike Norvell spent the week focusing on defensive communication and coverage adjustments following the team's week zero performance against New Mexico State. SMU enters the game led by quarterback Kevin Jennings and an offensive scheme directed by Rhett Lashlee. The Mustangs finished last season with a top-30 offense, including a passing unit ranked 13th in the FBS. Florida State secondary players including Ja’bril Rawls and Quindarrius Jones face the task of containing the Mustangs' passing attack to avoid defensive lapses seen in the previous game.

Source Links

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Status Watch

•Florida State and SMU meet for the second time in program history Monday.
•Kevin Jennings returns as the starting quarterback for the SMU offense.
•Florida State aims to improve its secondary coverage after facing New Mexico State.
•The game will be played at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Latest Updates

11:48 PMYahoo Sports — Mike Norvell on SMU: ‘I love coaching in these games’

What they're saying

"
On Labor Day, Florida State and SMU face off for only the second time in the history of their programs. SMU will deploy a vaunted and aggressive passing offense against a Florida State defense that, at times, was not aggressive enough in their pass defense against New Mexico State in week zero.
— Yahoo Sports

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