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SMU Beats Florida State 27-24 on Late Field Goal

9/8/2026

8 1 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

SMU Mustangs beat Florida State 27-24 after Nick Reed’s 20-yard field goal with 21 seconds left.
The game’s kickoff was delayed from 7:35 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. by a nearly two-hour power outage.
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings completed 26 of 36 passes for 430 yards and three touchdowns.
SMU amassed 585 total yards compared with Florida State’s 324.
SMU converted 8 of 14 third-downs while Florida State managed only 2 of 15.

History

Historical Context

The December 6, 1969 Texas-Arkansas showdown at Razorback Stadium, a #1 vs #2 clash watched by roughly 55 million viewers, proved that primetime night games could draw national audiences. That precedent spurred colleges to upgrade stadium power, a need underscored by the 2024 SMU-Florida State game’s two-hour blackout and prompted industry focus on reliable backup generators.

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Story summary

SMU Mustangs beat Florida State 27-24 after Nick Reed’s 20-yard field goal with 21 seconds left.
The game’s kickoff was delayed from 7:35 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. by a nearly two-hour power outage.
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings completed 26 of 36 passes for 430 yards and three touchdowns.
SMU amassed 585 total yards compared with Florida State’s 324.
SMU converted 8 of 14 third-downs while Florida State managed only 2 of 15.

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