Power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium delays Florida State game against SMU
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 8, 2026, 1:30 AM
Last updated Sep 8, 2026

A power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee caused a significant delay for the Florida State football game against SMU on Labor Day. The matchup, originally scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, was postponed after stadium lights failed shortly before the start. Officials determined the issue stemmed from stadium infrastructure rather than the local power grid, and crews worked to restore electricity throughout the facility. Following the interruption, officials announced a revised start time of 9:15 p.m. The delay drew widespread attention online, sparking social media commentary from fans, media, and competing programs. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also commented on the incident as the event trended nationwide throughout the evening. Utility personnel and university officials coordinated to address the technical failure while supporters waited for the game to proceed.
- •A power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium delayed the Florida State versus SMU game.
- •Stadium officials attributed the failure to internal equipment rather than the Tallahassee city grid.
- •Kickoff was rescheduled for 9:15 p.m. following nearly two hours of darkness.
- •The incident trended nationally as rival programs and Governor Ron DeSantis commented on the delay.
- 1:30 AMYahoo Sports — Governor DeSantis, rivals react to FSU power outage
"Florida State trended nationwide Monday night after a power outage delayed the Seminoles' game against SMU.
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