On Monday night in Tallahassee, a sudden power surge plunged Doak Campbell Stadium into darkness just as Florida State and SMU were about to begin their ACC matchup. The outage forced both squads back to the locker room and left officials scrambling for a solution.
Decision to continue without communications
After the lights went out, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips and representatives from both schools met repeatedly, roughly every twenty minutes, to assess the situation. By 8:45 p.m. ET, the officials decided the game would resume that night, but without any helmet‑to‑helmet radios, sideline iPads, or coach‑to‑player communication devices. Players and coaches were instructed to use hand signals and shouted instructions only.
Fans stay put despite the chaos
Fans who had already filled the stands chose to remain, cheering on the Seminoles’ marching band as it played to keep the crowd engaged while stadium staff worked to restore power. The stadium’s lighting remained dim for much of the second half, adding a nostalgic, “old‑school” feel to the contest.
Coaches adapt on the fly
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell, under pressure to start the season strong, praised his team’s composure under the unusual circumstances. SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee admitted his staff had not practiced a game without electronic communication in over two years, noting the challenge of directing the quarterback without the usual sideline tools.
Both coaching staffs emphasized that safety remained the top priority and that the decision to continue was made after confirming the power outage would not affect critical stadium systems.
Impact on the schedule
The game concluded without a replay review, as the outage also disabled the stadium’s video replay system. SMU’s next game is scheduled for Saturday against UC Davis, while Florida State will have a bye week before its next contest.
While the unusual circumstances added drama for fans, the decision to finish the game demonstrated the resilience of college football programs when faced with unexpected technical failures. The experience also highlighted the importance of contingency planning for large‑scale sporting events.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
