Florida State's defense overall had a bad night in terms of giving up yardage. The SMU Mustangs put up 585 total yards which was spearheaded by quarterback Kevin Jennings who threw for a career-high 430 yards, and he also tossed three touchdowns.
When it came turnovers, FSU's defense created four of them, and that's what kept them in the game. However, when the game was one the line in a 24-24 tie, the Seminoles couldn't get the stop they need and lost on a field goal with 21 seconds remaining.
Florida State's defense hasn't played up to the level that they expected to so far, but they did get some solid performances against SMU despite the loss. Here were their top defensive players in the matchup.
Chris Jones
Jones continues to show that he was a smart investment
in the transfer portal. He was tied for the team lead against SMU with nine tackles. Jones is a very physical linebacker that isn't afraid to lay a hat on someone, and he's become to centerpiece of FSU's defense.
Caleb LaVallee
LaVallee only had three total tackles. However, it included a tackle for loss and he also had a pass breakup. He was flying around and playing downhill all night, and that's the type of energy and aggressiveness that Florida State needs on defense going forward at linebacker.
Ashlynd Barker
Barker backed up his solid performance in the season opener with another against SMU. He logged seven tackles and hw also snagged a big interception in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 24, but unfortunately, the Seminoles couldn't take advantage. Hopefully, he continues to play good football.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Top defensive players in FSU's loss to SMU
