A power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium threatened to derail the college football season’s final Week 1 matchup on Monday evening. The blackout struck just before the scheduled 7:30 p.m. kickoff between No. 19 SMU and Florida State, forcing officials to delay the contest for nearly two hours. Despite the loss of electricity affecting the press box and stadium lighting, organizers ultimately decided to proceed with the ACC conference game.
The decision to play under such compromised conditions created extraordinary challenges for both teams. SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee noted that his program had not practiced without direct coach-to-helmet communication in two years, making the situation unprecedented. Additionally, the stadium lacked instant replay capabilities and operated with severely limited lighting during the contest that finally commenced at 9:15 p.m.
The unusual circumstances sparked widespread commentary across social media platforms, with observers questioning the wisdom of playing under such circumstances. Critics joked about the game resembling contests from decades past, while some made light of the situation with humorous references to other programs and conference rivals. The incident capped off a tumultuous opening week for college football that saw multiple unforeseen complications disrupt scheduled competitions.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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