Start time set after Clemson vs Georgia Tech football lightning delay
Georgia Tech was knocking on the door to score Saturday afternoon. And then the lightning came.
The Yellow Jackets and No. 6 Clemson went into a 30-minute lightning delay at Memorial Stadium at 5:03 p.m. Saturday. The Tigers were leading 7-0.
The restart time is set for 6:55 p.m. — if there is no more lightning nearby — per Clemson officials. Any lightning within eight miles of the area would restart the delay.
There were 32 seconds left in the second quarter of ACC opener between the two teams when lightning was detected in the area and the game delayed.
The Tigers and Yellow Jackets went into their respective locker rooms and are using this break as the traditional halftime. Head coaches Dabo Swinney and Geoff Collins agreed to go ahead and observe halftime and then play the remaining 32 seconds after the weather delay ends, then transition into the second half.
Fans were encouraged to exit the bleachers for the time being.
“Clemson and Georgia Tech have agreed to a 10-minute on-field warm-up” once a restart time is set, Clemson said in a statement. “Fans will be re-admitted to Memorial Stadium by showing a valid game ticket for today’s game.”
Georgia Tech had the ball at the Clemson 16 on third-and-17 and trailed Clemson, 7-0. It’s the first time in the game that the Yellow Jackets got into the red zone.
Despite leading the Yellow Jackets, the Tigers only scored on one of their five drives and totaled 127 total yards of offense. Freshman running back Will Shipley provided Clemson with the scoring drive, carrying the ball seven times for 35 yards, which included the three-yard scoring run at the 4:37 mark of the first quarter.
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