UK football season opener called in third quarter after multiple weather delays
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Game day: Kentucky 31, Southern Mississippi 0
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky-Southern Mississippi football game at Kroger Field in Lexington.
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Kentucky football’s 2024 season opener versus Southern Miss was delayed due to lightning on Saturday night then suspended again in the third quarter — a delay that ultimately ended the game.
The game kicked off at 10:05 p.m. after originally being scheduled for 7:45 p.m. With UK leading 31-0 and 9:56 left in the third quarter, the game was halted again after lightning was detected within eight miles of the stadium. Both teams returned to their locker rooms at 11:52 p.m. The rest of the game was called off at 12:30 p.m. and declared a victory for Kentucky.
The game cannot resume for 30 minutes after a lightning strike within the eight-mile radius of Kroger Field.
Fans were not allowed to enter the stands just after 7:30 p.m., 15 minutes ahead of the original start time. Southern Miss players began warming up around 10 minutes later.
UK announced an 8:15 kickoff time at 7:48, but shortly after that announcement players on the field for warm-ups returned to the locker room as UK head coach Mark Stoops held an animated discussion with officials in one end zone. In an interview on UK’s radio network, athletic director Mitch Barnhart confirmed the delay clock had restarted due to another lightning strike.
While there was no rain at Kroger Field at the original start time, UK first announced at 7:20 p.m. the game was in a weather delay.
The game being televised on the SEC Network with limited camera angles due to the lightning threat.
This story was originally published August 31, 2024 at 7:32 PM.
