The Week 3 matchup between North Carolina and Clemson was stopped in the fourth quarter Friday because of lightning near Memorial Stadium, leaving the Tar Heels in control and the crowd waiting on word of a restart.
North Carolina had a 17-15 lead when play was paused, and the Tar Heels were already deep in Clemson territory at the seven-yard line with 8:11 remaining. Both teams were taken off the field, and fans in the stands were evacuated as a precaution.
There was still no official resume time at the time of the latest update, and the delay appears likely to linger. According to Noah Weiskopf of TarHeel 247, reporters were told the weather delay is “likely gonna be a while” and the “best-case scenario is a 5 p.m. start, but even that doesn’t look too promising.”
Rodd Baxley of the Fayetteville Observer added that conditions could worsen around 5 p.m. ET and might not improve until roughly 7 or 8 p.m., with UNC personnel already taking equipment off the field at 3:41 p.m.
The forecast picture only added to the uncertainty. A radar update showed weather moving south from North Carolina, with Clemson still stuck in delay mode and 8:11 left in the fourth quarter.
Under NCAA rules, play cannot resume until there has been 30 minutes without a lightning strike within eight miles of the venue, after which players can return and begin warming up.
Here is the Week 3 AP Top 25 college football schedule for 9/19:
No. 1 Texas (2-0) vs. UTSA (2-0), 8 p.m.
No. 2 Georgia (2-0) at Arkansas (1-1), Noon
No. 3 Notre Dame (2-0) vs. Michigan St. (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
No. 4 Indiana (2-0) vs.
W. Kentucky (0-2), 4 p.m.
No. 6 Ohio St. (1-1) vs.
Kent St. (1-1), Noon
No. 7 LSU (2-0) at No. 8 Mississippi (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
No. 9 Texas A&M (2-0) vs. Kentucky (1-1), 3:30 p.m.
No. 10 Alabama (2-0) vs. Florida St. (1-1), 3:30 p.m.
No. 11 BYU (2-0) at Colorado St. (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
No. 12 Southern Cal (3-0) at Rutgers (0-2), 3:30 p.m.
No. 14 Penn St. (2-0) vs. Buffalo (1-1), Noon
No. 15 Tennessee (2-0) vs. Kennesaw St. (1-1), 7:45 p.m.
No. 16 SMU (2-0) at No. 23 Louisville (1-1), 3:30 p.m.
No. 17 Utah (2-0) vs. Utah St. (0-2), 3:30 p.m.
No. 18 Iowa (2-0) vs.
N. Iowa (1-1), 4 p.m.
No. 19 Michigan (2-0) vs. UTEP (1-1), 3:30 p.m.
No. 20 Missouri (2-0) vs. Troy (2-0), 7 p.m.
No. 24 Oklahoma (1-1) vs. New Mexico (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
No. 25 Virginia (2-0) vs. West Virginia (2-0) at Charlotte, N.C., 7:30 p.m.
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