TU-OSU kick off at 12:15 a.m.

BY Staff Reports
Saturday, September 17, 2011
9/18/11 at 12:25 AM

A thunderstorm delayed Saturday night’s Oklahoma State-University of Tulsa football game at H.A. Chapman Stadium for hours.

A game that was scheduled for 9 p.m. on Saturday finally kicked off at 12:15 a.m. Sunday.

However, TU athletic director Bubba Cunningham said that if the game was postponed one more time due to lightning, the game would be canceled.

Almost immediately after the National Anthem was performed by saxophone artist Grady Nichols, the crowd – estimated at about 25,000 – was instructed to seek shelter.

The presence of lightning is addressed in the NCAA rule book: “To resume athletics activities, lightning safety experts recommend waiting 30 minutes after both the last sound of thunder and last flash of lightning.

“If lightning is seen without hearing thunder, lightning may be out of range and therefore less likely to be a significant threat. ... At night, use both the sound of thunder and seeing the lightning itself to decide on resetting the 30-minute ‘return-to-play’ clock before resuming outdoor athletics activities.”

Associated Images:

Fans walk out of Chapman Stadium. Photos by TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World

Fans wait under the concourse at Chapman Stadium.

Fans leave Chapman Stadium.

TU players walk to the stadium before the game.

The scoreboard at Chapman Stadium warns of severe weather just before kickoff.