Power outage delays Florida State-SMU kickoff
A power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium delayed the start of Monday night's game between Florida State and SMU. The outage occurred as teams made their pregame entrances, and officials later announced the delay. Both teams returned to the locker rooms, and a transformer blowout was reported as the cause.
The failure of stadium lighting occurred just as players took the field for the scheduled 7:30 p.m. start, freezing the pregame countdown clock at 4:40. Digital screens remained active to broadcast the delay, drawing audible displeasure from the crowd.
ESPN reported that an attempt to reset the power caused a transformer failure, following an earlier overnight outage on campus. Both squads retreated to their locker rooms shortly after sunset, and SMU's coach confirmed a mutual agreement for a ten-minute warm-up period before play could resume.
This disruption illustrates the fragility of stadium infrastructure, potentially affecting player readiness and fan experience. Extended delays could alter game momentum and broadcast schedules, impacting viewers and advertisers. Coaches' quick agreement on a warm-up period may mitigate physical risks, but the financial and competitive consequences for both programs remain uncertain. Such incidents highlight the need for robust backup systems in major college athletics.