College Football Week 3 picks
Blake Toppmeyer, Matt Hayes, and John Brice share their Week 3 picks of the biggest college football games this upcoming weekend.
Sports Seriously
As North Carolina football drove into the red zone, looking to build on its lead against Clemson in the fourth quarter, the Tar Heels were stopped — not by the Tigers, but Mother Nature.
North Carolina’s Week 3 matchup with Clemson at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 19 was stopped with 8:11 remaining in regulation due to lightning in the area.
At the time of the stoppage, coach Bill Belichick’s team had a 17-15 lead and was driving, with a second-and-goal at the Tigers’ 7-yard line.
North Carolina led by 14, 17-3, late in the second quarter before Clemson rattled off 12 unanswered points.
Here’s how we got to this point in Clemson.
Refresh the page for the latest updates. All times Eastern
5:25 p.m.: The game has restarted with eight minutes left in the game
5:20 p.m.: The game will continue. Both teams will return to the field at 5:15 p.m. with the game restarting at 5:25 p.m.
4:59 p.m.: Rain has stopped at Clemson, but the skies are still cloudy and lightning remains in the area.
4:11 p.m.: In an update at 3:52 p.m. ET, Clemson urged fans to remain in shelter, noting that a lightning warning remains in effect until 5 p.m. ET. No estimated time for the resumption of the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium was provided.
4:06 p.m.: The radar still does not look favorable for the resumption of Clemson-North Carolina, with storms continuing to approach the area.
3:29 p.m.: The hour-by-hour forecast for Clemson isn’t encouraging for a quick resumption of the game. There’s at least a 67% chance of thunderstorms until 7 p.m. and even then, there will still be a 39% chance of thunderstorms. By 8 p.m., the storms are expected to subside, which could allow the game to restart.
3:19 p.m.: Looks like it’s going to be a while before Clemson and North Carolina resume their game. After the initial lightning strikes, a huge storm appears to be heading south to the area near Memorial Stadium and the Clemson campus.
3:02 p.m.: The stoppage occurred because of lightning within eight miles of Memorial Stadium in Clemson, in adherence with severe weather protocols. Fans were encouraged to seek shelter in the concourse or their vehicles.
3:01 p.m.: With North Carolina driving, the Tar Heels’ game at Clemson was stopped due to lightning in the area of Memorial Stadium. It marks the third-consecutive game with a weather delay for coach Dabo Swinney’s Tigers.