Power outage forces two-hour delay to SMU-Florida State kickoff
The SMU vs Florida State game started about two hours late after a power failure knocked out lights and equipment at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.
A short circuit in the main transformer caused a power loss on the west side tower of Doak Campbell Stadium just minutes before the scheduled start of the No. 19 SMU-Florida State game in Tallahassee. The outage halted the contest for about 1 hour, 45 minutes, leaving the venue without most lights, a public address system, scoreboard and sideline iPads. After the technical crew began repairs, the Seminoles and Mustangs returned to the field for warm-ups at 9 p.m., and the game finally kicked off at 9:15 p.m. with officials tracking time on the field and limited video replays displayed on the Jumbotron.
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips spoke briefly with SMU one outlet director Damon Evans and Florida State one outlet director Michael Alford before administrators retreated to discuss further options. Fans stayed engaged, cheering and participating in a wave despite the disruptions.
Why it matters
The incident highlights how infrastructure failures can disrupt high-profile college football events and affect fans, teams, and broadcasters.
In this story
