SMU 17, FSU 10: Seminoles struggling to keep up with Mustangs’ offensive production

Florida State is trying to go blow-for-blow with No. 19 SMU, coming up short so far as the Seminoles trail the Mustangs 17-10. SMU is outgaining 323-165, with quarterback Kevin Jennings currently 14-for-19 with two touchdowns and 224 yards. FSU is once again dealing with third down issues, currently

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What is the story about?

Florida State is trying to go blow-for-blow with No. 19 SMU, coming up short so far as the Seminoles trail the Mustangs 17-10.

SMU is outgaining 323-165, with quarterback Kevin Jennings currently 14-for-19 with two touchdowns and 224 yards. FSU is once again dealing with third down issues, currently 0-for-6 on offense and allowing the Mustangs to convert 5-of-8 attempts.

After a lengthy delay, the two teams finally got underway at 9:15 p.m. ET, the Mustangs getting the ball first.

Neither team got anything

going during their opening drives, with SMU managing to drive to midfield before fumbling and FSU going three-and-out.

The Mustangs’ second drive saw them make their way to midfield once more, this time scoring off a 50-yard touchdown pass.

Florida State responded with a scoring drive of its own, going 75 yards in 13 plays — including a fourth-down conversion on a nice throw from Ashton Daniels to Jayvan Boggs. Daniels capped off the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run.

On the subsequent SMU drive, FSU held for the first two plays to force a third-and-nine, but was burnt for a 30-yard connection from Kevin Jennings to Randy Pittman Jr., the Seminoles also being whistled for a pass interference penalty. Florida State shortly gave up another third-and-long, this time a run on third-and-eight, with SMU finding its way into the red zone off a Jennings run on the next play.

With the Mustangs on the FSU 21-yard-line, the Seminoles’ defense locked in. On first down, a four-yard tackle for loss set SMU behind the chains and it never recovered, resulting in a missed 38-yard field goal to keep the game at 7-7 in the second quarter.

FSU began its next drive with a near-interception as Daniels attempted to force a ball to Sam Singleton Jr., but followed it up with a nice strike to Jayvan Boggs along the sideline. The Seminoles once again faced a fourth-down attempt, but a pitch to Ousmane Kromah was snuffed out for a loss and gave the Mustangs their ball in plus territory.

Once again, Florida State forced SMU into a third-and-long and once again, the Seminoles allowed the Mustangs to convert. A 15-yard completion followed, pushing SMU into goal-to-go territory. A five-yard rush followed but was essentially negated by an illegal substitution penalty on second down, Jennings then overthrowing his running back to make it third down. Jennings was able to make some magic on the run, hitting Pittman Jr. for a touchdown to give the Mustangs a touchdown lead.

Florida State began its next drive in major fashion, Ousmane Kromah reeling off what was initially believed to be a 64-yard rush to the SMU 10, instead being ruled out at the 31. The Seminoles almost got a touchdown off a deep ball from Daniels to Duce Robinson, but the receiver was unable to complete the catch. After a throwaway from Daniels, FSU had to settle for a field goal, with Gabe Panikowski’s 46-yard attempt sailing through to make it 14-10.

SMU reeled off an explosive in response, a bubble screen going for 64 yards to put the Mustangs in goal-to-go territory once more. Back-to-back rushes net five yards for SMU, taking the game down to the two-minute timeout. The Seminoles held once more, the only damage done a 22-yard field goal to again extend SMU’s lead to seven.

A 29-yard kickoff return by Singleton Jr. set the Seminoles up on their 29-yard line with 1:39 in the half. The drive began with a Daniels keeper, a nine-yard gain. Kromah converted the first with a five-yard gain, the clock stopping at 56 seconds after a downfield incompletion. A quick flip under pressure to Singleton Jr. gained a yard and shaved off another 10 seconds, and on third-and-eight, Daniels connected with Desirrio Riles to set up a 4th-and-3. The Seminoles feigned a fourth-down attempt, calling a timeout as the clock ran down and then sending out the punt team.

SMU couldn’t get anything going through the air on first and second, choosing instead to run the ball on third and send things to halftime holding a 17-10 lead.

FSU will start the second half on offense.