Alabama vs. Florida State delayed: When will the game start after lightning near Bryant-Denny Stadium?

The Alabama Crimson Tide were scheduled to host the Florida State Seminoles at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, with kickoff set for 3:30 pm ET.

Alabama vs Florida State delayed due to weather

However, the start of the game has been delayed due to weather conditions in the area surrounding the stadium. Alabama football insider Nick Kelly provided an update at the scheduled kickoff time, reporting that lightning had been detected within eight miles of the venue.

The delay means the teams must wait at least 30 minutes before warmups can resume. If no additional lightning is detected during that period, the teams would begin their pregame warmups around 4 pm ET.

"Lightning has been detected within eight miles of the stadium, again. Reset your clocks 30 minutes until warmups can resume for Alabama-FSU," Kelly wrote on X.

When will the game start?

However, Nick Kelly later shared another update around 3:45 pm ET, confirming that another lightning strike had been detected in the area around the stadium in Tuscaloosa.

“Lightning has been detected in the area, AGAIN. Reset your clocks 30 minutes until pre-game warmups can resume for Alabama-FSU,” the Alabama football insider tweeted on X.

Therefore, the teams must go 30 minutes without any further lightning activity before taking the field for pregame warmups, meaning they cannot begin warmups until 4:15 pm ET.

Andrew Bone, another insider covering Alabama football, also shared an update, noting that a 10-minute pregame warmup could be expected before the teams return to the locker room, which would take another three minutes or so.

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As a result, the game’s kickoff could be pushed to at least 4:30 p.m. ET, provided there is no further lightning activity following Kelly’s latest update at around 3:45 p.m. ET.

The latest confirmation came from Nick Kelly, who reported that pregame warmups are scheduled to begin at 4:35 pm ET, with kickoff officially set for 5:15 pm ET.

Weather experts' opinion on expected start

Ryan Vaughan, a meteorologist on X, also shared a weather update around 3:30 pm ET, stating that there was a 95% chance of lightning within an eight-mile radius of the stadium over the next 30 minutes.

“2:30 PM: The Alabama/FSU football game is in a lighting delay. I'm showing a 95% chance of lightning within the 8 mile radius over the next 30 minutes,” Vaughan tweeted, referencing local time.

If another lightning strike were detected by around 4:00 p.m. ET, the delay would be extended further, potentially pushing the game’s kickoff to around 4:50 pm ET.

James Spann, another AMS-certified broadcast meteorologist, shared a weather update around 4:05 pm ET, saying he did not expect any additional lightning as storms had weakened in the area.

"Storms southwest of Tuscaloosa have weakened, not expecting any additional lightning. Kickoff should be near or a little after 4:00 (Bama vs Florida State," Spann wrote on X, referring to local time.

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Therefore, the game’s kickoff could be around 5 pm ET, as Tuscaloosa local time is one hour behind Eastern Time.

NCAA weather protocol explained

College football weather protocols mandate an immediate 30-minute game suspension if lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium. The delay timer resets with every new flash inside that radius, and play cannot resume until a full 30 minutes pass without another strike.

During such delays, players and staff typically head to the locker rooms, while fans are directed toward concourses or other secure indoor areas.