College football’s opening weekend dogged by weather delays

Severe weather across much of the South and Midwest meant a chaotic first weekend for college football.

Fans danced in the rain, stormed the field, or headed for the exits during weather delays. One game was cut short with almost 10 minutes left on the clock, and another was postponed for a full day.

Here’s a look at how the weather affected games around the country:

STAY OFF THE FIELD!

A fan was tackled by security when he darted onto the field during a delay for lightning in the third quarter of No. 25 Tennessee’s matchup with Bowling Green.

He ran across the painted “T’’ at midfield and reached the 36 before a security guard took him down. He was quickly hustled off the field.

In Cincinnati, bored students stormed the field as rain fell in sheets during a delay in the Bearcats game against Alabama A&M.

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WE’LL JUST CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF

No. 9 Georgia and Louisiana-Monroe’s game was called with 9:54 left on the clock because of lightning. Most of the fans had left after a lightning delay in the third quarter.

There wasn’t much more to see. Georgia won 51-14.

“I think this is the first time I’ve been involved in one that got terminated at this point,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “We had one delay, then another, and it could’ve gone all day and all night, so it was in the best interest of everyone to terminate it when we did.”

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CAN’T PLAY? SING!

Rain prolonged a delay of No. 14 LSU’s season opener with McNeese State. But someone had a sense of humor about it.

Milli Vanilli’s “Blame it on the Rain” was blaring from the speakers. Later, the soundtrack turned to “It’s Raining Men,” ’’Purple Rain” and Rhianna’s “Umbrella.”

Most fans scattered to the exits, except for some students who seemed to be relishing the downpour while chanting, “L-S-U!”

Players waiting to return to the field got snacks in goody bags.

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WHERE SHOULD WE SLEEP?

Illinois had to wait an extra day to play Kent State after its opener was postponed Friday due to three hours of lightning. The game was played Saturday.

The decision, though, left Kent State scrambling, looking for hotel space for an entire football team, its coaches and support staff. Had the game been played Friday, the team would have piled aboard its charter flight after the conclusion and headed home.

The cost of an extra night in Illinois for roughly 145 people?

“Almost $8,000,” Kent State sports information director Aaron Chimenti said, adding that that didn’t include meals. “And (the players) eat well.”

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Associated Press Writers Steve Megargee and Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, Joe Kay in Cincinnati, Ohio, Charles Odum in Atlanta, Brett Martel in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and David Mercer in Champaign, Illinois, contributed to this report.

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