FSU SMU game played amid stadium power outage

A football game between Florida State and No. 19 SMU commenced on Monday, September 7, 2026, under significantly altered conditions following a major power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. The scheduled 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff was delayed by nearly two hours when an electrical short in the stadium's main transformer caused a widespread blackout just before the teams were set to take the field. After officials and electricians worked to restore partial power, enough emergency lighting was deemed sufficient to proceed with the contest. The game eventually began around 9:15 p.m. ET, but without several technological conveniences standard in modern college football. Notably, coach-to-player communication through helmet headsets was unavailable, sideline iPads were unusable, and the stadium's public address system and scoreboard remained offline. This forced coaches and players to rely on hand signals and other traditional methods for communication and game management. The decision to play under these limitations drew criticism from some observers, including former Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher.