The Florida State Seminoles' home game against No. 19 SMU was delayed Monday night after a power outage knocked out the lights at Doak Campbell Stadium just before kickoff.

Teams had taken the field for pregame introductions ahead of the 7:30 p.m. ET start when the stadium lights flickered and went dark. A power surge affected the floodlights, press box, and sound systems, leaving the venue in near darkness as sunset approached around 7:52 p.m. Officials huddled on the field while fans booed announcements of the delay.

Florida State and SMU players returned to their locker rooms around 7:50 p.m. after waiting on the sidelines. ESPN sideline reporter Taylor McGregor reported that attempts to reset the stadium's transformer caused it to blow, prompting crews to pursue a backup plan.

The game is the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both programs. Florida State entered at 1-0 after a season-opening win over New Mexico State, while SMU arrived undefeated in its season debut.

By approximately 8:40 p.m., officials announced the contest would resume at 9:15 p.m. ET following a 10-minute warm-up period once partial power was restored. The game will proceed under limited conditions, including no scoreboard and reduced communication options between coaches and players.

Neither team left the sideline immediately after the outage became apparent, but the lack of lighting made it clear play could not begin as planned. Fans in the stands held up cell phones as the venue darkened.

Stadium officials and ESPN broadcast personnel provided ongoing updates throughout the delay, confirming the transformer failure as the primary cause. No weather-related factors were cited in initial reports.