When: 7:30 p.m., Monday
Where: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee
Latest line: SMU by 3 points
TV: ESPN
Weather: 79 degrees, 15% rain chance
Coaches: Mike Norvell is 39-34 at FSU, 77-49 overall; Rhett Lashlee is 38-16 at SMU and overall.
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Quick slant: In the ACC opener for both teams, FSU and SMU are playing for the first time in Tallahassee. The teams faced off in 2024 at Dallas, with SMU taking a 42-16 win. The Seminoles are 4-4 all-time on Labor Day. Norvell has just four wins against Power 4 teams since the start of the 2024 season, and a win over SMU would go a long way in restoring his reputation.
About FSU (1-0): QB Ashton Daniels has 4,985 passing yards at Stanford (2023-24), Auburn (2025) and FSU. He will make his 25th career start vs. SMU. Ten transfers started for FSU in the opener, with six on offense. SMU is the first back-to-back ranked opponents for the Seminoles, who face No. 13 Alabama next.
About No. 19 SMU (0-0): The Mustangs are 14-2 since joining the ACC in 2024, the most wins of any league team. SMU’s defense has 50 takeaways since the start of the 2024 season (second in the ACC in that span). Kevin Jennings has 7,709 passing yards, 55 touchdowns and 26 interceptions in his SMU career, enjoying back-to-back 3,000-yard passing seasons after spending 2022-23 as a backup.
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3 things to watch
1. FSU played a Week 0 game against New Mexico State, using 57 players — 26 of which made their FSU debut. The majority of those were transfers. But FSU gives up some film to SMU, which did not play in Week 0. SMU’s offense is more of a known, but the Mustangs’ defense features a large group of transfers, and Maurice Crum Jr. has been elevated to co-defensive coordinator (he’s also the play caller). Who has the advantage?
2. In his first year as a starter in 2024, Jennings completed 16 of 23 passes (69.6%) for 254 yards and three touchdowns against FSU. He has since accumulated seven 300-yard games. SMU returns receiver Yamir Knight (47 catches, 637 yards, five TDs), receiver Jalen Cooper (17 for 232 yards) and running back Derrick McFall (19 for 160). The Mustangs brought in FSU transfer Randy Pittman at tight end, who had 23 catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns in nine games last season. Add in a veteran line and FSU has a tough job of slowing down SMU’s offense.
3. Norvell and Lashlee have not worked on the same staff, but both have coached alongside former coach Gus Malzahn. Norvell worked with Malzahn at Tulsa, and Malzahn was FSU’s offensive coordinator in 2025. Lashlee coached at Arkansas State and Auburn, among other stops, alongside Malzahn. In 2013, Lashlee was Auburn’s offensive coordinator when the Tigers faced FSU in the BCS championship game, with the Seminoles earning their third title in a wild finish. There are more similarities than differences in Norvell’s and Lashlee’s schemes. Which coach knows each other’s scheme better?
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