Florida State's season opener against No. 19 SMU in Tallahassee was significantly delayed Tuesday night due to a partial power outage at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. The game, which was scheduled to begin at 7:29 p.m. Eastern time, eventually kicked off at 9:15 p.m. after a delay of nearly two hours.
![A scoreboard at Florida State University stadium displays "GAME DELAYED POWER OUTAGE" before a football game against SMU.]( "A scoreboard at Florida State University stadium displays "GAME DELAYED POWER OUTAGE" before a football game against SMU.")
Despite the game resuming, full power was not restored. The limited electricity impacted various aspects of the game, including the stadium clock, coach-to-player communication, and the use of iPads by both teams. The PA announcer and scoreboard were also non-operational. Booth-to-sideline communication was reportedly still functioning.
SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee indicated that his team had not practiced without coach-to-player communication for two years, highlighting the unusual circumstances. ESPN reported that during the delay, discussions involving ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, along with both schools' athletic directors and presidents, were held to determine the path forward. Playing the game on Tuesday was considered as an alternative if power restoration efforts failed.
This game marked the season opener for SMU. Florida State entered the contest following a previous win against New Mexico State.