Florida State-SMU game left in chaos after power…
Florida State’s home game against No. 19 SMU plunged into chaos after a partial power outage left the 2 sides questioning if their contest would have to be postponed.
The groups started their ACC opener in Tallahassee, Fla., after a almost two-hour delay, even though full power was not restored. The lights went out at 7:29 p.m., proper before the anticipated kickoff.
The game began at 9:15 p.m in a partially lit stadium with restricted digital use by both groups — including the clock saved on the sector, no coach-to-player communication and no iPads.
Florida State’s scoreboard shows a message during a stadium-wide power outage before an NCAA school soccer game against SMU on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in Tallahassee, Fla. AP Photo/Noah Lantor
There was booth-to-sideline communication, but there was no PA announcer or scoreboard, ESPN’s Taylor McGregor reported on the published.
“They imagine they’ve enough lights to play this game, McGregor said.
No. 19 SMU vs. Florida State will kick off at 9:15 PM ET 🚨Due to the power outage, there can be:
▪️No coach-to-player communication
▪️No iPads
▪️No PA announcer
▪️No scoreboard pic.twitter.com/jCRtLKZRpT— ESPN (@espn) September 8, 2026
SMU coach Rhett Lashlee told her that his staff had not practiced without coach-to-player communication in two years.
Before the choice was made to restart, ESPN reported there have been around 30 people — including the ACC commissioner and both faculties’ athletic administrators and presidents — in a room at 8:15 p.m. and that they had been throwing a “Hail Mary to get the power back on” and had been on their “last option.”
Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell and Southern Methodist Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee speak during a delay due to a power outage before a game at Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, on Monday. IMAGN IMAGES via GWN Connect
McGregor added that enjoying the game on Tuesday was a chance.
This was the season opener for SMU, which held off an upset bid for a 27-24 win, and Florida State enters off a win over New Mexico State.
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