Utah’s Rivalry Victory Delayed Nearly An Hour By Lightning
Aug 30, 2019, 12:59 AM | Updated: 1:09 am
The south stands are completely empty after a torrential rain downpour before the game against BYU Cougars and the Texas Longhorns at an NCAA football game on September 7, 2013 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. The game has been temporally postponed. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
(Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – The Utah Utes were delayed in celebrating their ninth consecutive rivalry game victory by nearly an hour as lightning rolled through Provo on Thursday night.
A storm moved into the area near LaVell Edwards Stadium in the middle of the weeknight ballgame between the Utes and Cougars. In the middle of the fourth quarter, the game was suspended due to lightning in the area.
The lightning delay lasted for nearly an hour, postponing the Utah victory as the score stood after the game resumed and throughout the final 9:01 left to play.
🌩 Game has now been suspended due to lightning in area. Utah leads 30-12 with 9:01 remaining in the 4th quarter. https://t.co/jTOvE10Vzr
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 30, 2019
The Utes were up 30-12 with just over nine minutes left to play when the game was halted. Both rain and lightning were occurring. Fans headed for the exits while the players went to the locker rooms to wait out the storm.
The NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook stats that “to resume athletics activities, lightning safety experts recommend waiting 30 minutes after both the last sound of thunder and last flash of lightning” and if the lightning is more than six miles away.
Thursday’s delay lasted for 54 minutes.
54 minutes on the weather delay
— BYU Game Notes (@BYUGameNotes) August 30, 2019
The last time there was a weather delay at LaVell Edwards Stadium was in 2013 when the Cougars hosted Texas. That delay was more than double that of Thursday’s.
The last time BYU had a weather delay at home was Sept. 7, 2013 against Texas. The game was delayed almost 2 hours (1:53)
— BYU Game Notes (@BYUGameNotes) August 30, 2019
After play resumed, the Utes were able to hold onto the football and run out the clock with a final score of 30-12 and their ninth straight victory over the Cougs.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9…#goutes #UTAHvsBYU pic.twitter.com/6HY1olsxvD
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) August 30, 2019
The Cougars head to Tennessee next week to face the Volunteers on Saturday, September 7 at 5 p.m. (MDT).
Utah hosts Northern Illinois on Saturday, September 7 at 11 a.m.
