Florida State Football Live Update: SMU Clash Starts Without Full Stadium Lights After Doak Campbell Blackout

by

Florida State and No. 19 SMU finally got their Week 1 showdown underway after a bizarre power outage plunged Doak Campbell Stadium into darkness just minutes before the scheduled kickoff.

The Labor Day night clash was originally set for 7:30 p.m. ET, but an electrical short in the stadium’s main transformer caused a major disruption. The players had already taken the field when the lights suddenly went out, forcing both teams back to their locker rooms as officials and electricians worked to restore power.

After a delay of roughly one hour and 45 minutes, the officials determined enough lighting was restored for the game to proceed. The teams returned for a 15-minute warmup before kickoff at 9:15 p.m. ET, but the unusual conditions were far from over.

You Might Be Interested In

Florida State Football Game Begins Under Limited Conditions

The game resumed without several pieces of technology that have become routine in college football.

Neither team had coach-to-player communication through helmet headsets, while sideline iPads were also unavailable. The public address system and stadium scoreboard remained out of operation, leaving officials to rely on more traditional methods during the game.

The outage turned the ACC opener into something of an old-school football game. With the normal communication systems unavailable, coaches and officials had to rely more heavily on hand signals and direct communication from the sidelines.

Inside the stadium, fans also made the most of the extraordinary situation. Phone flashlights illuminated sections of the crowd while the Florida State marching band helped keep the atmosphere alive during the lengthy wait.

The disruption was eventually traced to an electrical short in the main transformer serving the stadium’s west side. Electricians worked throughout the delay to restore enough power for play to continue.

LIVE Update: FSU Football Responds as Ashton Daniels Finds the End Zone

Once the game finally began, Florida State quickly showed that the strange circumstances would not stop the Seminoles from settling into the contest.

Quarterback Ashton Daniels provided the response for the home side, rushing for an eight-yard touchdown to pull Florida State level after SMU had opened the scoring. The score capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive and gave the home crowd something to celebrate after nearly two hours of uncertainty.

SMU had taken the lead earlier through quarterback Kevin Jennings, who connected with Jalen Cooper for a 50-yard touchdown. Daniels’ rushing score quickly answered that strike and brought the Seminoles back into the game.

The Seminoles entered the game 1-0 after beating New Mexico State 34-17, while No. 19 SMU was beginning its season. The Mustangs had defeated Florida State 42-16 in their previous meeting in 2024, but Monday’s contest marked their first trip to Tallahassee.

 

Leave a Comment