FSU Football Gets Ready for ACC Play Against Ranked SMU

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Florida State football will play No.19 SMU at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium on Monday, September 7 2026.

Florida State (1-0), opened the season last week with a 34-17 home win against New Mexico St. The new look offense from head coach Mike Norvell produced 217 yards rushing and 202 yards passing (419 total yards). Florida State scored on all six trips to the red zone.

For Norvell this is a prove it season after winning seven games combined over the last two seasons. After going undefeated in 2023 Florida State won two games in 2024, and five games last season.

Norvell brought in 57 new players this season, 23 through the transfer portal and 34 from high school. Norvell went into this season needing to rebuild his offensive line, secondary, and find a quarterback. He brought in five experienced linemen, added quarterback transfer Ashton Daniels from Auburn, and has transfers in his secondary that have big game experience.

SMU is coming off of 20 wins over the last two seasons (nine wins in 2025, 11 wins in 2024). Last season they had notable wins over Miami, Clemson, Louisville, and Arizona in the Holiday Bowl.

KEY PLAYERS

Florida State will go as far as transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels will take them. For his career he has 4,986 yards passing with 25 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,427 and 12 scores. From his time at Stanford and Auburn, Daniels has played elite teams and has had excellent performances in big games.

Wide receiver Duce Robinson is on the watch list for the Biletnikok and Maxwell trophies as one of the top receivers coming back in the ACC, if not the nation. Last season he had 1,081 receiving yards which ranks 9th all-time at Florida State.

Ousmane Kromah ran for 115 yards in the opener establishing himself as the lead back in a very talented room. 

Offensively, SMU is led by quarterback Kevin Jennings who accounted for 3,641 passing yards including 26 touchdowns last season. Slot receiver Yamir Knight returns after netting 637 receiving yards in 2025. SMU also brings back Derrick McFall who accounted for six touchdowns in 2025. 

SMU brings back 62% of its production in 2026, and to address the production lost head coach Rhett Lashlee brought in 38 new players, including 21 high school players and 17 transfer portal additions. 

Kickoff is at 7:30pm.

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