Staff Predictions: Florida State Seminoles vs. No. 19 SMU Mustangs
Tomahawk Nation • • sports
Key Points:
- The Florida State Seminoles (1-0) will host the preseason No. 19 SMU Mustangs (0-0) on Labor Day at Doak Campbell Stadium in a nationally televised primetime game, marking only the second meeting between the teams.
- SMU, led by 5th-year head coach Rhett Lashlee and QB Kevin Jennings, is favored by 2.5 points; the Mustangs have a strong offensive line with multiple All-ACC preseason honorees despite losing key skill players.
- Florida State struggled in their opener against New Mexico State despite winning, showing inconsistencies on both offense and defense that could be exploited by a veteran SMU team.
- Several analysts predict a close but high-scoring game with the majority favoring SMU to win due to their experience and coaching, although a few see potential for an upset by Florida State if they improve execution.
- Key factors include Florida State's ability to improve their offensive line play and defensive pressure, while SMU's new coaching-by-committee system and replacing several starters on offense and defense add uncertainty to the matchup.
