The power surge in Doak Campbell Stadium caused a serious delay in play for Florida State, but now the surge will have lasting effects in the game. Florida State and SMU agreed to move forward with the game despite the delay, but the communication between the sideline and the players will be limited because of the surge.
Playing on Monday can come with plenty of perks, like being able to play in a prime time slot in front of a potentially larger audience. The power surge in the stadium dampened plenty of that excitement after forcing the start of the game back by over an hour. Both teams needed to get the game in to avoid a potential cancellation, but rushing the start of the game will result in both teams losing the ability to communicate with the players inside the helmets from the sideline.
No in-helmet communication is a serious problem for Florida State against an experienced team like SMU
The situation is certainly unique, as Florida State and SMU are both unwilling to bend on what day the game will be played. The start to the night is certainly far from ideal for both teams, but Florida State will move forward with the contest despite the new circumstantial changes.
Both teams must play under the same circumstances, but Florida State could be entering into a very dangerous situation against SMU without the ability to communicate inside the helmet. The Seminoles notably struggled with assignments and communication against New Mexico State across the board, even with additional tools like on-field replays and sideline communication.
Florida State is not tasked with playing just any opponent without the ability to properly communicate, as a ranked SMU team is lined up across from them. The Mustangs have a veteran-led team, and while the team is used to utilizing many of the tools that will not be available during the game, this is the type of opponent that could excel in such a situation.
The Seminoles will be tasked with slowing down a strong offense led by veteran quarterback Kevin Jennings. The quarterback has proven himself to be one of the most intelligent players at the collegiate level, and Florida State very likely could be walking into a situation that Jennings is prepared for.
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