Rain clouds rolled into Death Valley and quickly changed the tone of Saturday’s Clemson-Troy showdown. At 3:48 p.m. ET, officials suspended play at Memorial Stadium after lightning was detected in the area.
At the time of the stoppage, Troy led Clemson 7-0 with 10:43 remaining in the first quarter. The game is under an official weather delay that will last at least 30 minutes, per NCAA protocol, though further lightning strikes could push the delay longer.
Clemson released a statement urging fans to take shelter:
“Lightning has once again been detected around Memorial Stadium. For your safety, we ask that you please move to a safe location underneath the stadium. LJC, Fike, Brackett, and Sirrine Hall are available for those currently outside the stadium.”
The storm hit just as the Trojans seized early momentum. But for now, both teams wait out the delay, and so do more than 80,000 fans who were expecting a high-energy afternoon in Death Valley.
The Tigers will have to regroup whenever play resumes — but for now, the scoreboard, the clock, and the weather all belong to Troy.