FSU vs SMU power outage delay: 'We waited long enough to play, what's another 30 minutes'

The top dark horse for the College Football Playoff, SMU, faced a delay in their matchup against Florida State due to a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. The outage caused the stadium lights and press box lights to go dark, preventing the teams from starting the game at the scheduled 7:30 p.m. ET. With a sunset at 7:52 p.m. ET, the stadium was enveloped in darkness, making it impossible for the teams to begin the game as planned.

Florida State vs SMU live updates reported that the lights had flickered as officials worked to restore power, eliciting brief cheers from the crowd. However, the cheers quickly turned into a return of boos once the lights went out again. According to ESPN sideline reporter Taylor McGregor, the stadium's transformer blew when officials attempted to reset it.

The teams had planned to remain on the field for an additional five to 10 minutes, but if the power remained out beyond that, they would return to the locker room. SMU coach Rhett Lashlee expressed frustration to McGregor, stating that they had waited long enough to play and questioned the need for an additional 30 minutes. As the teams headed back to the locker room, Lashlee indicated that they were eager to resume play once the power was restored.