Florida State ties SMU 17-17

Florida State pulled even with SMU at 17-17 in the third quarter on September 7 when Ousmane Kromah scored on a 6-yard touchdown run in Tallahassee, according to ACC Football and Florida State social posts. The tying score came despite a lopsided stat line at that point: SMU had 491 yards of offense to Florida State’s 229 and had converted 7 of 12 third downs, while Florida State was 0-for-10. The in-game update captured how tight the score remained even as SMU controlled much of the underlying production. ESPN’s final game page shows SMU later finished the job with a 27-24 win over Florida State. ### How did Florida State get back to 17-17 if SMU was winning the stat battle? Ousmane Kromah supplied the tying play with a 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter after Florida State converted a fourth-and-2 from the SMU 9, according to live coverage aggregated by Yahoo Sports. The extra point made it 17-17. (sports.yahoo.com) The contrast was stark at the time of the score. ACC Football’s update said SMU had outgained Florida State 491-229 and held a 7-for-12 edge on third downs, while Florida State had not converted any of its first 10 third-down attempts. That meant Florida State had stayed level largely through isolated scoring plays rather than sustained offensive efficiency. (sports.yahoo.com) ### What do those 491-229 and 0-for-10 numbers actually tell you? SMU’s edge in total offense pointed to more consistent movement across the game, and the third-down split showed the same thing in a more situational way. A 7-of-12 rate on third down meant SMU repeatedly extended drives, while Florida State’s 0-for-10 start meant its offense was struggling to stay on the field. (sports.yahoo.com) The final team numbers were less extreme but still favored SMU. Fox Sports listed SMU with 585 total yards to Florida State’s 336 by the end of the game, including a 430-125 edge in passing yards. ESPN’s final summary also lists SMU as the winner, 27-24. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Who were the main players behind the game flow? Kevin Jennings was SMU’s top statistical driver. ESPN and CBS Sports listed him at 26-for-36 passing for 430 yards and three touchdowns in the win. That production explains why SMU could dominate yardage even while the score stayed close for long stretches. (foxsports.com) Ousmane Kromah was Florida State’s clearest offensive constant. Tallahassee.com reported that he topped 100 rushing yards again and scored the 6-yard touchdown that tied the game in the third quarter. Fox Sports credited him with 22 carries for 116 yards and one touchdown. (cbssports.com) ### Did the 17-17 moment hold up? SMU answered later and closed out a 27-24 road win, according to ESPN’s final box score and recap page. USA Today reported that the Mustangs prevailed after a game delayed by a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium. Florida State’s tie, then, was real but brief. (tallahassee.com) The third-quarter touchdown showed the Seminoles could stay within one score despite losing the efficiency battle, but the final result matched the broader statistical picture that had already developed by the time the game was 17-17. (espn.com) ### Where can readers check the next layer of detail? ESPN’s game page and play-by-play for September 7 list the final score, scoring sequence and team leaders for SMU and Florida State. Fox Sports and USA Today also published full box scores from the Tallahassee game. (espn.com)