There may never be another college football game quite like this one.
No. 19 SMU defeated Florida State 27-24 Monday night in Tallahassee, but the final score doesn’t even begin to explain what happened at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Before the game could even start, the stadium lost power.
Then came a nearly two hour delay.
Then the teams played a nationally televised ACC game without many of the technological tools that have become standard in modern college football.
And somehow, after all of that chaos, SMU walked out of Tallahassee with one of the wildest wins of the opening week.
The Lights Went Out Before Kickoff
The madness started before either team had a chance to run a real offensive play.
Just before the scheduled 7:30 p.m. kickoff, the lights at Doak Campbell Stadium suddenly went out. The stadium was plunged into darkness, forcing both teams back into their locker rooms.
The outage was eventually traced to an electrical issue involving the stadium’s main transformer. After nearly two hours of uncertainty, officials determined there was enough lighting for the game to continue.
Kickoff finally came around 9:15 p.m., nearly two hours after the originally scheduled start.
But the weirdness didn’t stop there.
A Football Game Without Technology
When SMU and Florida State finally took the field, this didn’t look like a normal college football game.
There was no coach-to-player communication system, no sideline iPads, no functioning scoreboard and no public address announcer.
Coaches had to adjust on the fly, players had to operate without the usual electronic communication and fans inside the stadium were essentially watching a game in the dark.
It felt less like a modern ACC football game and more like someone had transported the sport back several decades.
And somehow, the teams still had to play 60 minutes.
SMU Takes Control
Once the football finally started, SMU showed why it entered the season ranked No. 19.
Quarterback Kevin Jennings immediately got the Mustangs’ offense moving, connecting on explosive plays and helping SMU build a 17-10 halftime lead.
Jennings finished the first half 14-of-19 for 224 yards and two touchdowns, while Florida State struggled to consistently stay on the field.
But the Seminoles weren’t going away.
Florida State battled back in the second half and eventually tied the game, setting up a wild finish.
A Wild Finish in Tallahassee
SMU eventually regained the advantage and held on through a frantic fourth quarter.
Florida State had opportunities to complete the comeback, but the Mustangs made enough plays to survive.
When the final whistle finally sounded, SMU had escaped with a 27-24 victory.
After waiting nearly two hours just to play, the Mustangs left Tallahassee with an enormous ACC road win.
You Couldn’t Write This Script
The strangest part of the entire night might be that the power outage wasn’t even the only bizarre storyline.
SMU committed four turnovers and still managed to win.
Florida State fought back from a slow start.
The scoreboard didn’t work.
The coaches didn’t have their normal communication systems.
The fans spent part of the night lighting the stadium with their phones.
And the game didn’t even begin until well after most college football fans expected to be watching the opening kickoff.
SMU didn’t just beat Florida State. The Mustangs survived one of the strangest football games anyone will see all season.
The 2026 college football season officially has its first truly unforgettable night.
ACC football after dark has officially arrived.
