SMU leads Florida State 1-0 all time. That is the whole series. The programs have met exactly once, on September 28, 2024 in Dallas, and the Mustangs won 42-16. They play for the second time ever on Monday night in Tallahassee.
| Date | Winner | Score | Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 28, 2024 | SMU | 42-16 | Dallas |
| Sept. 7, 2026 | To be played | 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN | Tallahassee |
Why they have only played once
Geography and conference history. Florida State spent 40 years as an independent before joining the ACC in 1991 and has stayed there since. SMU spent that same stretch moving through the Southwest Conference, the WAC, Conference USA and the American, never crossing paths with the Seminoles.
SMU joined the ACC in 2024, and the two were scheduled against each other in the Mustangs’ first season in the league. That is the only reason the series exists at all.
The 2024 meeting: SMU 42, Florida State 16
SMU’s first ACC home game turned into a rout. Kevin Jennings threw for 254 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Florida State’s DJ Uiagalelei threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted three times, and the turnover margin decided it.
| Quarterback | Yards | TD | INT |
| Kevin Jennings, SMU | 254 | 3 | 0 |
| DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State | 222 | 2 | 3 |
The two seasons went in opposite directions from there. SMU finished 11-2 and reached the College Football Playoff, losing in the first round. Florida State finished 2-10 and missed a bowl entirely, one year after going undefeated in the regular season.
The Monday night rematch
They meet again on September 7, 2026 at Doak Campbell Stadium, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, the last game of college football’s opening weekend. Florida State is 1-0 and hosting, but the market makes SMU the narrow favorite on the road.
There is a subplot beyond the series. Mike Norvell sits near the top of most hot seat lists, and a home loss to the team that beat him 42-16 two years ago, in a standalone national window, would not help.
Series facts
- All-time record: SMU leads 1-0
- First meeting: September 28, 2024, SMU 42-16 in Dallas
- Last meeting: the same game, the only one played
- Largest margin: 26 points, SMU in 2024
- SMU has never lost to Florida State, and Florida State has never beaten SMU
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