Mother Nature briefly spoiled Indiana football’s homecoming.
Due to lightning in the Bloomington area, Saturday’s Big Ten showdown between No. 3 Indiana and Michigan State went into a 30-minute lightning delay at Indiana Memorial Stadium during halftime. It is the third notable Power 4 game in the country to be impacted by weather on Saturday, with the others being Texas A&M-Arkansas and Baylor-TCU.
Oct. 18 is the first game that Indiana coach Curt Cignetti is coaching since he signed his eight-year contract extension that will pay him an Annual Average Value (AAV) of $11.6 million. The Hoosiers are currently leading the Spartans 21-10.
USA TODAY Sports provided live weather delay updates regarding Indiana vs. Michigan State. Follow below.
Indiana-Michigan State weather updates: Latest on Hoosiers vs Spartans
All times Eastern
5:37 p.m. ET: The second half between Indiana and Michigan State has started after a 30-minute lightning delay. The rain looks to still be coming down in Bloomington, so there could be another delay in sight. But for now, Indiana looks to hold onto its lead to remain undefeated on the season.
5:36 p.m. ET: Both teams have taken the field for warm-ups ahead of the second half in Bloomington.
5:27 p.m.: Peacock’s broadcast is showing high winds and torrential downpour right now at Memorial Stadium as it goes to a commercial break during the halftime show. Game action is set to resume in 10 minutes at 5:37 p.m. ET after both teams get a five-minute warm-up period.
5:25 p.m.: Indiana officially announces that the second half between the Hoosiers and Spartans will start at 5:37 p.m. ET.
5:24 p.m.: Pretty ominous clouds right now at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. The Weather Channel is calling for a good amount of rain and thunderstorms until 9 p.m. ET, meaning the second half of Indiana-Michigan State could be a wet and run-heavy half.
5:16 p.m.: Indiana tells fans to take shelter and leave their seats at Memorial Stadium due to the lightning delay. Per NCAA weather protocols, for every strike within at least six miles of the stadium from the original strike, the 30-minute clock will be reset.
5:13 p.m.: Indiana officially announces weather delay.
5:09 p.m.: Indiana vs. Michigan State has been suspended during halftime for a lightning delay after lightning strikes were detected in the Bloomington area. The weather delay clock has started.
NCAA lightning delay policy
The NCAA notes that if a lightning strike is seen or heard within at least six miles of an outdoor stadium, then the game must be halted for a lightning delay. Though a lightning delay’s length of time starts at 30 minutes, the total time of a lightning delay can vary because for every strike that follows the initial strike, that 30-minute clock is reset.
‘To resume athletics activities, lightning safety experts recommend waiting 30 minutes after both the last sound of thunder and after the last flash of lightning is at least six miles away, and moving away from the venue. If lightning is seen without hearing thunder, lightning may be out of range and therefore less likely to be a significant threat. At night, be aware that lightning can be visible at a much greater distance than during the day as clouds are being lit from the inside by lightning. This greater distance may mean that the lightning is no longer a significant threat. At night, use both the sound of thunder and seeing the lightning channel itself to decide on when to reset the 30-minute return-to-play clock before resuming outdoor athletics activities.’
Indiana vs Michigan State weather forecast
5 p.m. ET: Scattered Thunderstorms (67% chance of rain)
6 p.m. ET: Thunderstorms (96% chance of rain)
7 p.m. ET: Thunderstorms (94% chance of rain)
8 p.m. ET: Thunderstorms (74% chance of rain)
What TV channel is Indiana vs Michigan State on?
Livestream: Peacock
Indiana vs. Michigan State is not being broadcast on linear or national television. Instead, the Week 8 Big Ten showdown is being streamed exclusively on Peacock, NBC’s subscription streaming service, as part of the Big Ten conference’s TV deal with NBC and NBC Sports.
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