Notre Dame, USC Announce Kick Off Time Amid Severe Weather Threat

In a surprising update, the game between No. 20 USC and No. 13 Notre Dame will kick off on time as scheduled at 4:30 p.m. PT. Fans are now allowed into the stands as the lightning threat has been downgraded.

Notre Dame weather lightening rain delay fans stadium Marcus Freeman usc trojans lincoln riley betting odds south bend jayden maiava | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

In a surprising update, the game between No. 20 USC and No. 13 Notre Dame will kick off on time as scheduled at 4:30 p.m. PT. Fans are now allowed into the stands as the lightning threat has been downgraded.

The South Bend forecast for the evening is:

4 pm Scattered Thunderstorms 34 percent
5 pm Scattered Thunderstorms 38 percent
6 pm Thunderstorms 59 percent
7 pm Thundershowers 100 percent
8 pm Rain 100 percent

Notre Dame weather lightening rain delay fans stadium Marcus Freeman usc trojans lincoln riley betting odds south bend jayden maiava | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Stay tuned for more updates on if this game will face a delay.

3:15 p.m. PT Update

Severe weather in South Bend has forced a temporary hold on fan entry to into the stands of Notre Dame Stadium before Saturday night’s matchup between No. 20 USC and No. 13 Notre Dame. There has been a lot of lightning strikes in the area. Good news is, both of the teams have arrived to the stadium.

"While the gates of Notre Dame Stadium will open at 6 p.m., lightning prevents us from allowing fans in the stands. We encourage fans to enter the Stadium and shelter in the concourse, or in the following campus buildings," wrote the University of Notre Dame on Twitter/X.

Notre Dame has already sent out a lightning emergency alert to those in the area. The Fighting Irish also made a change to their pregame tradition. The Victory March - player walk from pregame mass to the stadium - did not take place due to lightning in the area.

South Bend with 2 hours to go before kickoff pic.twitter.com/p35J63uE3w

— USC Football News (@USCFootballNews) October 18, 2025

This seems fine… pic.twitter.com/oeVk8lTZnc

— Ryan Abraham (@insidetroy) October 18, 2025

South Bend Weather Forecast

There’s a 100 percent chance of rain in South Bend, per weather.com and forecasters are warning that strong thunderstorms with lightning are possible. There is one to two inches of rain forecasted for the evening. Wind gusts could reach up to 35 mph in the evening, adding another layer of unpredictability.

The sky is dark and the rain is coming down with lightning threatening to delay the game. The future radar indicates a lightning delay could be on the way.

Notre Dame cheerleaders fly through the air in the first half of a NCAA football game against NC State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How Do Lightning Delays Work In College Football?

Under NCAA guidelines, a lightning delay begins when lightning is detected within eight miles of the venue. From that moment, play is halted for at least 30 minutes to ensure player and spectator safety. Each new strike inside that range resets the clock, meaning the game can’t continue until a full 30-minute period passes without lightning and the storm has safely moved on.

When a weather delay is called, safety protocols go into effect for everyone in the stadium. Players retreat to locker rooms to rest or refocus as coaches regroup and adjust strategy. Meanwhile, fans are directed to take cover in concourses or other approved shelter areas until the all-clear is given.

USC's Experience With Lightning Delays

This isn't the first bad weather USC has faced this season. In September, after enduring a three-hour weather delay, USC beat Purdue 33–17, securing its first Big Ten road win outside California. The victory was also the Trojans’ first in the Eastern Time Zone in more than a decade, dating back to 2012.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

That victory marked the first time the USC Trojans have dealt with a weather delay since playing Syracuse at MetLife Stadium in September 2012. 

USC coach Lincoln Riley was proud of the focus his team displayed through the adversity at Purdue.

"I never felt like we panicked. They were physically and mentally ready the entire way," said USC coach Lincoln Riley said after the win.

"When you combine the fact of the time zone, travel, and all that I think it's maybe the most unique one I’ve been involved with. So, I thought the guys handled it great. They were pretty amped in the locker room…We actually had to calm them down and sit down and relax a little bit which was good. I thought their energy level and focus and focus and just kind of willingness and excitement to go out and play never let off," Riley said on Trojans Live.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates after the defense scored a safety in the second half of a NCAA football game against NC State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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USC has had trouble winning on the road under coach Lincoln Riley. Four of the Trojans’ five losses in 2024 have come on the road, with their only home defeat coming against Notre Dame in the regular-season finale.

Can the Trojans overcome severe weather and pull off an upset over coach Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish?

It’s rivalry night in South Bend ... No. 13 Notre Dame (4–2) takes on No. 20 USC (5–1, 3–1) for the Jeweled Shillelagh Trophy. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.