Man, you gotta feel for Florida State fans right now, because what happened Monday night at Doak Campbell Stadium against the No. 19 SMU Mustangs was just wild. They lost 27-24 on a late field goal, with the game dragging on past midnight, sure. But that ain’t even the half of it. The real gut punch? They were a national punchline before kickoff thanks to a power outage that delayed the game for nearly two hours.
The Lights Went Out, Literally, and Nobody Was Ready
Imagine rolling into Doak, hyped for a 7:35 p.m. ESPN kickoff, and then boom, everything goes dark. Not because of some wild storm, but an electrical short in a transformer took out power to parts of the stadium. What a mess! This wasn’t just a slight delay, we’re talking nearly two full hours before the ball even got kicked. Coach Mike Norvell and his squad, guys like quarterback Ashton Daniels trying to prep, linebacker Chris Jones getting ready to hit, running back Ousmane Kromah looking to run, long snapper Caleb Bowers prepping for snaps, all stuck waiting. That’s a brutal way to start any game, turning what should’ve been a prime time national broadcast into an absolute spectacle of technical difficulties. Tallahassee was the butt of every joke, and you know social media was absolutely feasting on that blackout.
When Midnight Struck, So Did SMU’s Late Field Goal
So, after all that pre-game chaos, the actual ACC game finally started at 9:15 p.m. And it was a grind. The No. 19 SMU Mustangs jumped on them, leading 17-10 by halftime. FSU fought back, gotta give ’em that, but in the end, it just wasn’t enough. A late field goal sealed their fate, with SMU walking away with a 27-24 victory. Another loss for the Seminoles, and this one wrapped up well after midnight. You can bet that long, strange night in Tallahassee felt even longer for the FSU faithful watching their team fall. It’s one thing to lose a tough ACC game; it’s another to do it after a literal power struggle just to get the damn lights on.
What’s Next After the Blackout Blues?
It’s a tough pill to swallow for Florida State. You get a prime-time national slot, turn into a meme before the game even begins, and then lose a close one to a ranked opponent past midnight. That’s a lot to unpack. With the season still early, the Seminoles have to figure out how to bounce back from this kind of demoralizing start. Forget the X’s and O’s for a second, they need to shake off the embarrassment and find some momentum. The next game isn’t just about football; it’s about proving that Monday night was a bizarre anomaly, not a sign of things to come for the rest of their season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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