On Monday, September 7, 2026, the highly anticipated season opener between the No. 20 SMU Mustangs and the Florida State Seminoles was halted before kickoff at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
A Night of Darkness at Doak Campbell
Around 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, the stadium's lighting system suffered an electrical short in its transformer, causing a loss of power on the west side and plunging much of the venue into dimness just as the teams began their pre‑game warm‑ups.
The sudden darkness created uncertainty for both squads, who had to continue their preparations under minimal illumination while officials worked to restore electricity, leaving the atmosphere tense yet oddly surreal.
Fans in the stands and viewers on social media responded with a flood of jokes and live updates, turning the unexpected outage into a moment of levity amid the early‑season excitement.
The incident added an unusual, humorous twist to what has already been a eventful Week 1 of the 2026 college football season, reminding observers that even the most polished venues can be vulnerable to unforeseen technical failures.