Lightning delays start of Temple-Vanderbilt game

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Lightning has delayed the start of the game between Temple and Vanderbilt on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, 2 1-2 miles away, an NFL preseason game was virtually unaffected by the weather.

Vanderbilt officials said the game wouldn't start until at least 9:52 p.m. CDT, more than 90 minutes after the originally scheduled kickoff time of 8:15. Earlier delays included predicted kickoff times of 9 p.m. and 9:13 p.m., but additional lightning strikes continued to alter the schedule.

As they waited out the delay 30 minutes after the originally scheduled 8:15 p.m. kickoff time, some Temple players were in uniform playing catch behind one end zone. Vanderbilt's team started gathering in an end zone at 9:08 p.m.

Yet the NFL preseason game at LP Field between the Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans game went on amid rain, but without lightning or delays.

This represented the first lighting delay for a Vanderbilt home game since 2006, when the start of a 38-9 victory over Tennessee State was pushed back 40 minutes.