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A Doak blackout, midnight finish, another FSU loss – and many memes

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A Doak blackout, midnight finish, another FSU loss – and many memes
Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell coaches his players as they warm up after the game was delayed due to a power outage. The SMU Mustangs lead the Florida State Seminoles 17-10 at the end of the first half Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.
(Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat)

It was a beautiful evening for football at Doak Campbell Stadium on Monday. But the Florida State-SMU matchup unfolded under anything but normal circumstances.

The No. 19 Mustangs beat the Seminoles 27-24 on a late field goal in an ACC game that didn’t end until after midnight. Yet the night’s most memorable storyline began moments before kickoff and made Tallahassee and FSU a national punchline that had nothing to do with the performance on the field.

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FSU and SMU were scheduled to kick off at 7:35 p.m. on ESPN. Instead, the start was delayed nearly two hours after a power outage struck, pushing kickoff to 9:15 p.m.

The outage was not weather-related as an electrical short in a transformer knocked out power to portions of Doak Campbell Stadium.

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FSU football vs. SMU, photos from dark Doak Campbell Stadium

Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell coaches his players as they warm up after the game was delayed due to a power outage. The SMU Mustangs lead the Florida State Seminoles 17-10 at the end of the first half Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.

(Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat)

Both teams had already emerged from their tunnels and were on the field when the lights suddenly went out. Players initially remained on their sidelines before being sent back to their locker rooms as officials worked to assess the situation.

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips was on site and in communication with officials from both schools. FSU coach Mike Norvell and SMU coach Rhett Lashlee also were involved in discussions as administrators searched for a path forward. Fans tried to help, too, as many held their lighted cell phones skyward and kept the energy high by participating in wave after wave through the audience stands at Doak.

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What caused the outage is still not totally clear.

Cody Farrill, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Ron DeSantis, posted on X that early indications pointed to a stadium issue rather than a citywide power problem.

“Based on initial phone calls this appears to be an issue on the stadium end rather than the @CityofTLH Grid,” Farrill wrote. “Both FSU and Utility personnel are on the ground. While an inconvenience, a reminder to thank a neighbor for working this Labor Day.”

Ultimately, officials decided the game could be played despite only partial power being restored.

Norvell said he was good with the decision.

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“First is, there’s a lot that goes into the opportunity to play the game, ” Norvell said. “And, obviously, the safety of the players, making sure they had lights, making sure all those factors were a top priority. As long as it was going to be balanced and equal on each side, then it was adjustments to be made.

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Fan Cam: Florida State Seminoles vs. SMU Mustangs

Florida State fans cheer on the Seminoles just moments before the game was delayed due to a power outage Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.

(Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat)

“There was talk of alternatives if things didn’t work out, but, it was all kind of part of it and, does it affect things? Yes, but it affects things on both sides and so yeah, it’s definitely a different situation, but, it’s how it played out.”

FSU quarterback Ashton Daniels also said the delay and early on-field communication challenges did not affect the offense.

“I think we prepare for situations like that,” Daniels said. “We have a great plan within our coaching staff if the coach-player (communication) goes down and it did. I think we handled it very well communication wise. Guys were moving around in the locker room and had great energy, just continuing to prepare for the game and I think we handled it very well.”

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The reduced electrical capacity created a variety of challenges.

Some stadium lights remained out, and both teams were forced to operate without coach-to-player communication systems, sideline iPads, a functioning public-address system and a working scoreboard. There was no visible game clock, leaving on-field officials responsible for tracking time. Limited replays were shown on the video board.

Norvell told ESPN during the delay that playing without electronic communication would not be a significant issue. Lashlee noted his team had not practiced without the technology in nearly two years.

Florida State fans hold their phones in the air with flashlights on after a power outage during the game against SMU caused a delay Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.

Florida State fans hold their phones in the air with flashlights on after a power outage during the game against SMU caused a delay Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.

As the game progressed, power started to return in phases. By late in the first half, several functions, including coach-to-player communication and a synchronized game clock, had been restored. However, the stadium never returned to full operational capacity.

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The unusual scene quickly became a national talking point – and the launching point for countless memes.

FSU trended across social media as Seminole fans, national media figures and rival fan bases reacted to the unprecedented delay.

Opposing programs and supporters seized the opportunity to poke fun at the Seminoles, adding another layer of attention to an already bizarre night at Doak. Some called the venue “Broke Campbell Stadium,” others memed that Norvell was sabotaging a game expected to be another loss for the Seminoles. Still others posted what looked like an AI generated City of Tallahassee unpaid utilities bill for Doak, indicating the power would be shut-off without payment.

The Hurricanes’ social media team took it as an opportunity to troll the Seminoles.

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“The lights are ON at our house,” they wrote. “See YOU at Hard Rock [Stadium] on Thursday.”

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: A Doak blackout, midnight finish, another FSU loss – and many memes

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