As if Baltimore Ravens fans couldn’t be more excited for the 2026 NFL season, the college football world brought a little deja vu from a moment when Baltimore was at its best.
On Monday night, the Florida State Seminoles were supposed to take on the SMU Mustangs at 7:30 p.m. ET. Unfortunately, Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, had different plans. The game was significantly delayed due to a power outage. Sound familiar?
The Ravens went through a similar situation back in 2013 during Super Bowl 47, when a blackout paused the second half of their eventual win over the San Francisco 49ers. Players sat and waited eagerly for 34 minutes before play resumed.
Now, the Florida State/SMU matchup was delayed much longer than that—1 hour and 40 minutes. They also didn’t have that Super Bowl luxury, as the teams had to deal with partial lighting and no helmet communication early in the game. That’s a lot different.
Still, it’s hard not to have a flashback to Ravens greatness. And if there’s any team ready to bring the Lombardi back to Charm City, this year's team might be the one.
Baltimore Ravens have the pieces to throw it back to 2012 this season
Entering 2026, it’s been 14 seasons since the Ravens last won the Super Bowl. That’s too long. For an organization that’s been as good as them, one of those coveted championships should’ve come back a lot sooner.
They’ve come oh so close to channeling the mentality that brought them hardware in the 2000 and 2012 seasons. Unfortunately, John Harbaugh lost the glamor from his Super Bowl win, and the players struggled to handle the big moments.
As a result, Baltimore acted with urgency in the offseason. They kicked off a new era led by head coach Jesse Minter.
With a fresh coaching staff and a lack of experience, having Super Bowl hopes is obviously a bit strong for their first year together. However, that hasn’t stopped people from making the Ravens their preseason Super Bowl picks.
It looks like Minter and company have the goods, too. The defense absolutely dominated in the preseason, and the offense, despite looking sluggish at times, made a statement in the preseason finale by putting up 41 points against the Washington Commanders.
The roster also looks championship-caliber. The 2025 team had several flaws, most notably the pass rush and offensive line. General manager Eric DeCosta made sure to clean those areas up and then some.
Many people said this last year, but in 2026, this group looks as strong as an ox. It could have the makings of a season that ends with another ring being added to owner Steve Bisciotti’s finger…just hopefully without another power outage.
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