Weber State at Arizona did not kick off until 9:10 PM Mountain Standard Time on Saturday night after over a two-hour lightning delay. The game was originally scheduled to kick off at 7:00 PM MST. The lighting delay was the first for Arizona since the 2009 season opener versus Central Michigan.
Arizona fans had to evacuate the seating areas when lightning was spotted within 10 miles of Arizona stadium about an hour before the original scheduled kickoff. Some fans went in the concourse, with others returning to their cars. Arizona waived the policy of not allowing fans to leave the stadium and return to their seats.
Tucson received strong storms with lightning strikes and heavy wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour. Arizona fans received an all-clear at approximately 8:25 PM MST to return to the stadium. East coast games in Charlotte, North Carolina, Clemson, South Carolina; Athens, Georgia and Annapolis, Maryland, also had weather delays.
The lightning delay was challenging for the Arizona and Weber State staff to adjust pre-game routines for the players, keeping them focused and hydrated ahead of the kickoff being pushed back over two hours. The weather was 83 degrees and cloudy at kickoff.
GATES ARE OPEN!!!
— Arizona Athletics (@AZATHLETICS) September 7, 2025
Fans are welcome to re-enter Arizona Stadium at this time.
Kickoff is at approximately 9:10pm MST
Once the game started, there were no weather delays. The other three games with weather delays also played to their conclusions. North Carolina beat Charlotte 20-3, Clemson defeated troy 27-16 after a 16-3 halftime deficit, Georgia beat Austin Peay 28-6 and Navy beat UAB 38-24.
Arizona remains at home on Friday against Kansas State with a 6:00 PM MST kickoff. Kansas State at Arizona will be nationally televised on FOX. As the only game in that window, a two-hour weather delay would significantly hinder the TV ratings for Fox. Arizona has a bye week after hosting Kansas State on Friday.