The Purdue game was delayed due to lightning in the area. The delay happened before the game started at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette and lasted over three hours because NCAA rules require that games be halted if lightning is detected within a 10-mile radius of the stadium. The game cannot resume until 30 minutes have passed since the last lightning strike, and each new lightning sighting resets this countdown. During the delay, fans were evacuated from the stadium and teams stayed in their locker rooms. The original kickoff time of 3:30 p.m. ET was pushed back to about 6:45 p.m. ET due to the lightning and thunderstorms nearby. The weather was forecasted to clear later in the evening, allowing the game to eventually proceed safely.
