Power Outage Delays FSU Game; SMU Wins

A power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium on Monday, September 7, 2026, delayed the start of the college football matchup between the No. 19 SMU Mustangs and the Florida State Seminoles by nearly two hours. The game, originally scheduled to kick off around 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, was postponed as stadium lights and the scoreboard went dark due to an electrical short in the stadium's main transformer. After officials and electricians worked to restore partial power, the game eventually commenced around 9:15 p.m. ET under significantly altered conditions. The outage meant that crucial technological systems remained offline, including the public address system, scoreboard, and coach-to-player communication via helmet headsets. Sideline iPads were also unusable, forcing coaches and players to rely on hand signals and other traditional methods for game management. The stadium's game clock was tracked by on-field officials. The decision to proceed with the game despite the limitations drew criticism from some observers.