No. 19 SMU, Florida State kick off after nearly 2-hour delay due to power outage

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The game between No. 19 SMU and Florida State kicked off after a delay of nearly two hours on Monday night due to a power outage at the stadium.

Power went out at Doak Campbell Stadium just minutes before the scheduled kickoff and the delay lasted about 1 hour, 45 minutes. The Seminoles (1-0) and Mustangs, playing their opener, finally took the field at 9 p.m. EDT for warmups and the game started at 9:15 p.m. under less than ideal conditions.

When play began, not all the stadium lights were operating and the teams were forced to deal with a number of other issues, including no coach-to-player communication, no iPads on the sidelines, no public address announcer and no scoreboard. There was no public game clock and on-field officials were keeping track of the time. Some replays were being shown on the Jumbotron.

Coach-to-player communication was restored with about six minutes remaining in the second quarter, and clock functions and yardage distances were back on the scoreboard.

A statement on the Jumbotron inside the stadium during the delay read: “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. Update to follow.”

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips chatted with athletic directors from both schools, SMU’s Damon Evans and Florida State’s Michael Alford, for a few minutes on the field before administrators moved inside to further discuss options.

The highly anticipated finale on Labor Day to the weekend's first full slate of games was put on hold as a countdown clock inside the stadium stopped at 7:30 p.m. and the stadium lights went out.

Florida State and SMU had run out of their respective tunnels and onto their sidelines just moments before the game officially entered a delay. The Seminoles and Mustangs remained on their sidelines before eventually being sent back to their locker rooms.

A few specialists from both teams returned to the field to warm up. Florida State's punter encouraged the fans to stand up and cheer, and the school’s band played in one end zone. Fans did the wave and knocked around beach balls.

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Florida State students react during a stadium-wide power outage before an NCAA college football game against SMU, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Noah Lantor)

SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee watches his team during warmups Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Noah Lantor)

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III has reiterated that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, remain non-working members of the royal family following their return to the United Kingdom.

A letter sent on behalf of the king to senior government officials said the couple will continue to refrain from using their royal titles as they have done since stepping back from official royal duties in 2020. Any charity work the couple undertakes will be carried out in a private capacity, and operational security decisions are matters for the relevant police agencies, the letter adds.

The letter was sent by the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the royal household, to senior officials in the government and military, as well as lord lieutenants, the king’s personal representatives around the country.

“To help avoid doubt or confusion, The King has directed that (this) information be shared,” the letter says.

While the communication simply confirms that Harry and Meghan’s status remains unchanged, the decision to send the letter and release it publicly demonstrates the concern among some palace observers that the couple’s status could allow them to become a sort of parallel royal court, competing with working members of the royal family.

The security question is particularly sensitive because Harry has fought a long-running battle with the government for the restoration of publicly funded police protection, which was canceled when the couple gave up their royal roles.

The decision about whether to restore the couple’s round-the-clock police protection is a matter for a government panel known as RAVEC, or the Royal and VIP Executive Committee.

“Any specific questions from official and State organizations about the courtesies which should be extended to the Duke and Duchess, and particularly where recourse to public funds may be required, should be directed to Buckingham Palace,” the Lord Chamberlain said in his letter.

Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla walk, during the Braemar Gathering highland games at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (Aaron Chown/PA via AP)

FILE - Prince Harry, and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, arrive for an event, during a visit to Bondi Beach, Australia, April 17, 2026. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP, File)