Florida State’s ACC opener against No. 19 SMU experienced a significant delay on Monday night due to an electrical failure at Doak Campbell Stadium. The matchup, originally scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET, was pushed back nearly two hours and finally kicked off at 9:15 p.m. ET on ESPN after a transformer malfunction on the stadium’s west side knocked out power to critical areas including the press box and lighting systems.
Both teams were forced to return to their locker rooms after taking the field in preparation for the initial kickoff. Stadium officials worked for approximately an hour and 45 minutes to restore sufficient electrical service, though the restoration effort presented ongoing challenges for game operations.
Despite eventually clearing the way for play to proceed, the power outage created substantial operational limitations for the contest. The game proceeded without several standard features including wireless communication headsets for coaches, sideline tablets, the public address system, and the stadium scoreboard, forcing both teams to adapt to significantly diminished technological resources.
Florida State entered the matchup with a 1-0 record following a season-opening victory over New Mexico State, while SMU made its ACC debut in the delayed Labor Day contest. The unusual circumstances surrounding the game’s start marked a memorable conclusion to college football’s opening week.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
About the Author
