Vanderbilt football enters lightning weather delay vs Austin Peay

Vanderbilt football's season opener against Austin Peay faced a weather delay on September 5 due to lightning in the vicinity. According to NCAA regulations, play cannot resume until a minimum of 30 minutes has elapsed since the last lightning strike within an eight-mile radius. The delay commenced at 8:55 p.m. with Vanderbilt leading Austin Peay 28-9 with only two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

The last weather delay at FirstBank Stadium occurred during a 2025 match against Georgia State. Vanderbilt's Commodores dominated the game, scoring three touchdowns and two field goals, with two of those touchdowns being rushing plays by Sedrick Alexander and Blaze Berlowitz, and a punt return touchdown by Josiah Broxton. Austin Peay managed one touchdown and a field goal.

Vanderbilt also secured two points through a defensive two-point conversion after a blocked extra point was returned. Aria Gerson, covering Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean, reported this incident.