LSU’s season opener against Clemson won’t start on time.
Officials announced Saturday night that inclement weather in the Baton Rouge area has pushed back the planned 6:49 p.m. CT kickoff.
LSU did not immediately provide a new start time, but the school later said the 90-minute clock before kickoff would begin at 7:10 p.m. CT.
If there is no lightning or other severe weather during that window, kickoff would come at 8:40 p.m. CT.
A cluster of pop-up thunderstorms is moving southwest toward campus and could pass over Tiger Stadium.
Will need to keep an eye on this cluster of storms to see if it holds together as it moves southwest. Impacts to the Southern & LSU campuses possible if it does. pic.twitter.com/fuDRX10sRn
- Steve Caparotta, Ph.D. (@SteveWAFB) September 5, 2026
The NCAA’s lightning policy requires teams to wait at least 30 consecutive minutes after the last lightning strike within an 8-mile radius before a game can begin or resume. If lightning is spotted again during that countdown, the clock resets.
The delay comes with Saturday night’s Tigers-vs.-Tigers matchup expected to draw major attention as Kiffin makes his debut on the LSU sideline. Earlier this week, he kept the focus on the work that got the game to this point.
"This will be about preparation, not hype," Kiffin said earlier this week. "There's so much hype in this game.
So much excitement from our fanbase to watch us. Probably that same excitement for everybody else in the country to root the other way against us and just a lot of work went into it.
"Seven or eight months of getting to this point and I always look at the game as a performance. The players do all this work, the coaches do all this work to make sure that they put the best performance out there for our people and our fans."
In Other News...
Lane Kiffin's LSU Debut Already Has Fans Debating The Program's Image
Lane Kiffins first night as LSUs head coach at Tiger Stadium came with plenty of attention before he ever settled into the sideline routine. Against Clemson, he arrived with a headline-friendly group of celebrity guests that included LSU alums Livvy Dunne and Brooks Nader, along with comedian Theo Vonn, while also taking a brief moment to meet five-star tight end recruit Ahmad Hudson. For a program that has never shied away from theater, the opening scene looked built for big-stage college football.
Still, the reaction around Kiffins debut quickly became part of the story. Social media lit up with mixed responses, and some fans took issue with the presentation, questioning the image LSU was putting forward and Kiffins comfort in the role of college football villain. For all the buzz around the entrance, the more interesting debate may be how much of this is showmanship LSU wants tied to its new coach, and how long that image will shape the conversation around the program. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fan's Viral Pregame Escort Stole Attention From A Massive Night
Before LSU even kicked off its season opener against Clemson, a separate scene near Tiger Stadium was already pulling eyes away from the football. Video circulating from the pregame crowd showed a woman dressed in LSU-themed clothing being escorted by law enforcement through the area, an image that quickly spread as fans tried to make sense of what had happened.
The footage leaves one key detail unresolved, since it is not clear whether she was arrested or simply removed from the scene. It was a strange prelude to a massive night for LSU, one that marked Lane Kiffins debut as head coach and ended with the Tigers beating Clemson on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffins LSU Debut Turned Tiger Stadium Into A Full-Blown Spectacle
Lane Kiffins first home game as LSUs head coach already felt bigger than a standard season opener, and the buildup around Clemson made Tiger Stadium look more like the center of the college football universe. LSU officials confirmed the game drew the largest media and celebrity presence in stadium history, a striking reminder of how quickly the new era in Baton Rouge has become appointment viewing.
Kiffins walk down Victory Hill only amplified the scene, with Livvy Dunne, Theo Von and Brooks Nader among the notable names in the crowd as cameras and credentialed media packed the venue. It was the kind of arrival that can overshadow the football for a night, and at LSU the question now is how long that spotlight stays this intense once the first kickoff is over. [Read more 🡒]