Florida State found itself facing a wave of criticism before its game against No. 19 SMU even began.
A sudden power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium delayed the kickoff of the Seminoles’ standalone Labor Day matchup, leaving parts of the stadium without power just minutes before the scheduled 7:30 p.m. ET start.
The outage occurred as both teams prepared to take the field, disrupting stadium operations and quickly becoming a major talking point across college football.
Florida State Gets Roasted as Power Outage Hits SMU Game
An electrical short in a main transformer knocked out power to the stadium’s west side tower. The outage affected stadium lighting, the press box, and the video replay system, while the main scoreboard also went dark.
Officials pushed warmups to 9 p.m. ET and targeted a 9:15 p.m. ET kickoff, nearly two hours after the game was originally scheduled to begin.
The power failure also meant the game would have to proceed with limited technology. There would be no main scoreboard or public-address system, while the game clock would be tracked on the field. Teams would also be without sideline tablets and standard coach-to-player communication.
The unusual situation quickly drew reactions from analysts and media members.
SEC writer Chris Marler joked about Florida State’s recent struggles, writing: “Idk man, maybe Florida State football is supposed to be played without the lights on at this point.”
Idk man, maybe Florida State football is supposed to be played without the lights on at this point.
— Chris Marler (@Vern_Funquist) September 7, 2026
ESPN analyst Peter Burns also joined in, taking a shot at the Seminoles’ situation: “You know SMU has already offered to pay the electric bill for them.”
You know SMU has already offered to pay the electric bill for them.
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) September 8, 2026
College football analyst Pat Forde wondered whether the Seminoles had become a cursed program: “I don’t want to say Florida State has become a cursed program, but have they considered a stadium exorcism?”
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CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah was less polite, calling the situation a poor reflection on the program. “Okay, but seriously, this is such an unbelievably bad look for Florida State,” Jeyarajah said.
Yahoo Sports’ senior writer Dan Wolken shared a similar view: “This is really embarrassing for Florida State.”
This is really embarrassing for Florida State
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) September 7, 2026
A Big Game for Both Programs
The delay comes at an important time for both teams.
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell is looking to get the Seminoles back into ACC contention after consecutive losing seasons. A home win over a ranked SMU team would serve as an important early boost and help quiet some of the doubts surrounding the program.
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Meanwhile, SMU enters the 2026 season as one of the teams expected to compete for the ACC title under head coach Rhett Lashlee. A road victory over Florida State would give the Mustangs an important start to conference play and strengthen their College Football Playoff hopes.
However, before either team could make a statement on the field, the power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium had already given the college football world plenty to talk about.
