It feels hyperbolic, but after back-to-back losing records and heading into 2026 with the toughest schedule in the ACC, Florida State’s season and Mike Norvell’s tenure could hinge on the team’s Week 1 conference opener against SMU at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Considering the stakes, you can imagine Norvell would take any edge he can get, but Kevin Jennings’ finger injury just isn’t that. Jennings is reportedly set to be limited for 1-2 weeks after injuring his finger on Friday “at some point after practice,” according to On3’s Pete Nakos.
While Jennings will miss out on important reps in fall camp, he is entering his third year as Rhett Lashlee’s starting quarterback in Dallas, so the senior likely won’t miss a beat when he takes the field on September 7.
Kevin Jennings’ familiarity with Rhett Lashlee takes the pressure off fall camp
This season, Florida State is breaking in its third-straight veteran transfer quarterback since Jordan Travis’s legendary career came to an abrupt end in 2023. 2026 will be Ashton Daniels’ first and only season in the Mike Norvell offense, so every rep in the preseason is critical for his development. The situation in Dallas is much different.
SMU hired a new offensive coordinator this offseason, elevating receivers coach Rob Likens after Casey Woods left to become the head coach at Missouri State, but Lashlee will remain the play-caller. The bigger coordinator change is on the defensive side of the ball.
The Mustangs did lose Jennings’ top two receivers from last season, Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson, along with All-ACC tight end Matthew Hibner and running backs TJ Harden and Chris Johnson Jr. So, the lost reps may play a factor in Jennings’ ability to build rapport with his new receiver corps, led by returner Yamir Knight, who caught 54 balls for 637 yards and five touchdowns last season.
Turnover at skill positions is almost inevitable in modern college football, so while it’s a factor, Jennings had all spring to get on the same page with his receivers and will still have two weeks to get ready if this injury is the reported worst-case scenario and lingers for two weeks. That’s plenty of time for SMU’s offense to be firing on all cylinders come Week 1.
Florida State needs to win Week 1 to avoid a painful October
Florida State is only playing eight games in the ACC this year, a strange quirk of the league’s imbalanced scheduling. Yet, the Seminoles still have arguably the toughest schedule in the conference.
It begins with SMU on Labor Day, then October will determine Norvell’s fate. The Noles host Virginia on October 3, then travel to Louisville on short rest for a Friday night game. After that, they travel to Miami, the league’s prohibitive favorite, and finally, FSU hosts Clemson on Halloween.
2-2 during that stretch would be a good outcome. 4-0 almost seems out of the question. If the Seminoles handle New Mexico State in Week 0, beat SMU in Week 1, lose to Alabama in Week 3, then beat Central Arkansas in Week 4, 2-2 during that October stretch has them at 5-2 and on track to get back to a bowl game.
However, if FSU loses to SMU and is 4-4 coming out of October and completely out of the ACC title race, Norvell’s seat will be as hot as ever.
There are a myriad of other possibilities, but SMU is undeniably a swing game for the Seminoles. Jennings' injury just won’t make it any easier to pull it out.
Add us as a preferred source on Google