LINCOLN, Neb. -- The season-opening Akron-Nebraska game was canceled Saturday night because of severe weather. It has not been rescheduled.
A lightning strike near Memorial Stadium forced officials to halt play immediately after the opening kickoff, a touchback received by the host Cornhuskers.
Many of the fans among the NCAA-record 362nd consecutive sellout remained in the stadium for two hours, until an approaching severe thunderstorm prompted a mandatory evacuation into the concourses and campus buildings.
Despite oppressive heat and humidity Saturday afternoon, the stadium filled 30 minutes before kickoff for one of the most anticipated openers in program history. First-year coach Scott Frost, a former national champion Nebraska quarterback who directed UCF to a perfect season in 2017, led the Huskers onto the field, ending nine months of anticipation for a hungry fan base.
Or so they thought.
Weather permitting, they'll get their chance to see Frost and his team next week, when Colorado visits Memorial Stadium.
Severe weather also resulted in the cancellation of the South Dakota State-Iowa State game in Ames, Iowa. The Cyclones were up 7-0 in the first quarter before the game was called. There are no immediate plans to reschedule it.
Bad weather resulted in delays across the country at Ohio State, Maryland, the Air Force Academy in Colorado, and the West Virginia-Tennessee game played in Charlotte, North Carolina. Virginia's home opener against Richmond was delayed 40 minutes.
Liberty University's first FBS win came after a two-hour weather delay. North Carolina A&T and East Carolina's season-opening game in Greenville, South Carolina, was postponed until Sunday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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