Kevin Jennings completed 16 of 23 passes for 254 yards and threw three touchdown passes to lead host SMU to a 42-16 win over Florida State on Saturday night in Dallas, Texas.
The Mustangs (4-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) won their first-ever ACC contest. Former President George W. Bush attended and helped conduct the game’s coin toss.
SMU amassed 467 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers to beat Florida State (1-4, 1-3) in the first meeting between the programs.
The Mustangs led 14-9 at halftime before breaking the game open with 14 points in each of the final two quarters.
Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei struggled once again, completing only 12 of 30 passes for 222 yards. Uiagalelei threw a pair of touchdown passes but also had three interceptions. Kobe Wilson snatched the last of that trio of takeaways and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown to cap the scoring.
Jonathan McGill and Ahmad Walker had the other two interceptions as SMU also held FSU to 75 yards rushing.
On the flipside, the Mustangs ran for 213 yards led by Brashard Smith’s 129 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Roderick Daniels Jr. also ran for 53 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
Florida State, which hosts No. 17 Clemson next week, remained even with SMU for a large part of the first half after Uiagalelei found Kentron Poitier for a 9-yard touchdown.
Jennings’ 42-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Hudson gave SMU the lead for good with 10:20 left in the second quarter.
Jennings then connected with RJ Maryland on an 11-yard TD and a 15-yard TD within the first 7:18 of the third quarter to give SMU a 28-9 edge.
The Mustangs will play their next three games on the road against No. 15 Louisville, Stanford and Duke.
–Field Level Media
