ESPN welcomed viewers into Doak Campbell Stadium for Florida State\u2019s matchup with No. 19 SMU at 7:29 p.m. EST on Monday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd right at that moment, that\u2019s when everything went down,\u201d ESPN play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch explained. \u201cLights went off on floors eight and nine, including our floor here, along with all the lights in the stadium.\u201d<\/p>\n
With sunlight waning, officials had no choice but delay the game due to a power surge.<\/p>\n
Dave Pasch, Taylor McGregor attempt to explain the inexplicable as a power outage delays Florida State-SMU:<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil they can get the lights back on, the power back on, they will not be playing football.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/ajAXRVMt3d<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe stadium lights are not operating because of a power surge,\u201d Pasch said, noting the issue was not weather-related. \u201cIt\u2019s probably about 20 minutes away from being completely dark here at Doak Campbell Stadium, so the game is delayed.\u201d<\/p>\n As darkness slowly took over, ESPN sideline reporter Taylor McGregor<\/a>\u2018s star shined. She reported on the ground deftly and thoroughly throughout the peculiar, prolonged delay.<\/p>\n Roughly 30 minutes into the delay, power was restored in parts of the stadium, but \u201cnot enough to actually play this game,\u201d Pasch relayed. He threw it back down to McGregor, who had yet another pertinent update.<\/p>\n \u201cI just spoke to ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, and he told me at 8:20 [p.m.] is when they expect an update,\u201d McGregor said, adding, \u201cThey know where the issue is. Dave and Dusty [Dvoracek], it is on your side of the press box. So, the lights went on behind me, but they kind of expected those lights to be able to turn on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe real issue will be on the other side of the stadium,\u201d McGregor continued. \u201cThat\u2019s what they\u2019re still trying to figure out. Can they get those lights on? Because they cannot play until those lights come on.\u201d<\/p>\n McGregor\u2019s reporting earned rave reviews on X (formerly Twitter), as seen below.<\/p>\n Kudos to @Taylor_McGregor<\/a> who\u2019s really hustling for info from the officials and coaches during this power outage delay in Tallahassee.<\/p>\n One of our top reporters, Taylor is working her second game of wk 1. She also covered #BAYvsAUB<\/a> on Sat in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com\/QBoXViGwLO<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) September 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Shout out @Taylor_McGregor<\/a> boots on the ground getting all the updates on the power outage in Tallahassee. Talking to the white hat, personnel from both teams on a plan, getting a head coach interview. One of the best \ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffc<\/p>\n \u2014 Stormy (Buonantony) Normandt (@StormBuonantony) September 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n I have to say, Taylor McGregor is doing a a hell of job reporting on this absolute disaster in Tallahassee.<\/p>\n \u2014 Sam Neumann (@Sam_Neumann_) September 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Can I just say? These two have been FANTASTIC through this entire power delay. @Taylor_McGregor<\/a> @TaylorTannebaum<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/mw71sCSiVc<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) September 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Taylor McGregor is doing a superb job reporting on the power-outage delay of the SMU-Florida State game in Tallahassee. #ESPN<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mike Judson (@LedeMeOn) September 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n .@Taylor_McGregor<\/a> deserves an immediate promotion and pay raise for handling this power outage fiasco at #FloridaSt<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2014 Zig Fracassi (@ZigSportsVoice) September 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n By the way, for people who don\u2019t understand the value of sideline reporters, Taylor McGregor is doing a phenomenal job of showing it. Fantastic job tracking down updates and informing the broadcast.<\/p>\n \u2014 Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) September 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n ACC Huddle\u00a0host Taylor Tannebaum<\/a>, who also guided the broadcast masterfully through the delay, joked that the ESPN broadcast had morphed into \u201ca fun game of where in the world is Taylor McGregor.\u201d Tannebaum threw it back to McGregor, who reported that \u201cthey\u2019re basically throwing a Hail Mary to try to get the power back on,\u201d characterized as \u201cthe last option.\u201d<\/p>\n An hour into the delay, Pasch and Dvoracek confirmed that they\u2019d never experienced anything like this before. ESPN cameras panned to the in-stadium video board, which read: \u201cGAME DELAYED. Technical staff are addressing a power disruption to the west side tower due to an electrical short in the main transformer. Electricians are working to restore the power service. The game remains suspended.\u201d<\/p>\n No. 19 SMU vs. Florida State will kick off at 9:15 PM ET \ud83d\udea8<\/p>\n Due to the power outage, there will be:
\u25aa\ufe0fNo coach-to-player communication
\u25aa\ufe0fNo iPads
\u25aa\ufe0fNo PA announcer
\u25aa\ufe0fNo scoreboard pic.twitter.com\/jCRtLKZRpT<\/a><\/p>\n