Vanderbilt football’s season opener against Austin Peay at FirstBank Stadium has entered a weather delay due to lightning in the area Sept. 5.
Per NCAA rules, teams cannot resume play until it has been 30 minutes since the last lightning strike within eight miles. The delay began at 8:55 p.m. with Vanderbilt leading 28-9 with 2:16 left in the fourth quarter.
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt quarterback Blaze Berlowitz (1) celebrates his running touchdown against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt quarterback Blaze Berlowitz (1) celebrates his running touchdown against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt students gather for their game against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt defensive end Brian Allen (10) celebrates a sack against Austin Peay quarterback Chris Parson (3) during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt wide receiver Junior Sherrill (0) is pushed out of bounds by Austin Peay defensive back Trevor Hardy (22) during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt quarterback Blaze Berlowitz (1) celebrates his running touchdown against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt wide receiver Kayleb Barnett (13) runs against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis (2) throws a completion while being taken down by Austin Peay linebacker Jefferson Bretanys-Desca (14) during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Austin Peay wide receiver Denver Harper (15) has his facemark grabbed by Vanderbilt defensive tackle Mike Diatta (15)during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt running back Jamezell Lassiter (3) runs against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea walks the sideline against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt wide receiver Junior Sherrill (0) runs after a catch against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Austin Peay quarterback Chris Parson (3) defensive back Markell Redding (3) eludes the tackle of Vanderbilt linebacker Bryce Cowan (22) during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt wide receiver Kayleb Barnett (13) runs against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt defensive end Brian Allen (10) and defensive lineman Jaylon Stone (92) celebrate a sack against Austin Peay quarterback Chris Parson (3) during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt cornerback Martel Hight (4) runs back a blocked Austin Peay extra point for a two-point conversion during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt quarterback Blaze Berlowitz (1) scrambles from a Austin Peay defender during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis (2) takes the field for the first time in the final minutes of the first half against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis (2) scrambles against Austin Peay during their game at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Light begins to fade in the first half of the Vanderbilt game against Austin Peay at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
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Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay in Nashville for football season opener
Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia visits with young fans during their game against Austin Peay at FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
(DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN)
The most recent weather delay at FirstBank Stadium was for a 2025 contest against Georgia State.
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Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football enters lightning weather delay vs Austin Peay