Florida State's Season Opens With Power Outage, Loss to SMU
A power outage delayed Florida State's home opener against SMU, which the Seminoles lost 27-24, deepening pessimism around the football program.
Florida State's 2026 college football season began with a nearly two-hour delay due to a stadium power outage and a 27-24 home loss to SMU. According to a report from Defector, the loss confirmed a widespread sense of gloom surrounding the Seminoles program following a major offseason roster exodus.
The game at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee kicked off late after an unexplained power drain caused the lights to flicker on and off. The report notes the weather was clear, ruling out a storm. When play finally began, the team's ceremonial spear toss landed with a thud instead of sticking in the ground, an inauspicious start mirrored by the flat performance that followed.
A Game Defined by a Talent Gap
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings outperformed his Florida State counterpart, Ashton Daniels, by a wide margin. Despite forcing four turnovers and outrushing SMU, Florida State could not overcome the disparity in offensive production. The report states Jennings threw for 430 yards and three touchdowns.
The writer for Defector, a Tallahassee native, stated they never believed Florida State would win, even as the game remained close into the fourth quarter. "It was a game Florida State could've lost by 20 but only lost by one score," the report concludes.
A Program Stuck in Limbo
The loss compounds a pessimistic outlook for Florida State under head coach Mike Norvell. The program lost three dozen players to graduation or the transfer portal this offseason and has struggled with recruiting. The report describes a "dour"mood entering the season, which an unimpressive Week 0 win over New Mexico State did little to lift."increasingly stingy administration" and a booster network that cannot match the resources of richer football schools. Florida State, the writer argues, is "stuck in football limbo," no longer dominant even within the ACC conference it wishes to leave.
The Fading of a Football Power
Memories of Florida State's historically dominant teams are fading after more than a decade of decline. The report draws a parallel to Clemson, suggesting only that program understands the particular pain of a fallen powerhouse. The opening night, marred by literal and figurative darkness, served as a stark symbol for a fanbase bracing for one of its worst seasons.
