Football Fans Will Want to Prepare for the Weather This Weekend

College football fans can rejoice. After a few teaser games over the last week, the 2025 season starts in earnest this weekend across the nation. Will Mother Nature cooperate? Here is a look at the forecast for the kickoff of the new college football season, including detailed looks at what you can expect from the weather at some of the biggest games of the weekend.

Big Friday Night Game Could Present Problems

The fun will get started on Friday night when the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets travel to Boulder, Colorado, to take on the Buffaloes of the University of Colorado. Will Colorado head coach Deion Sanders continue to make the headlines in the college football world tonight or will the inclement conditions steal the show?

The forecast for Friday afternoon and evening is calling for widespread rain showers and storms for portions of the Rockies, the Plains, and the South. While rain showers are generally not a problem for football to go off as planned, the presence of lightning presents concerns.

Play is suspended if lightning is noted within 15 miles of a game. Officials must then wait an additional 30 minutes without another strike in order to resume play.

Although the day started on a calm note in Boulder, forecasters are warning that rain and the threat of storms will increase in the late afternoon and evening hours, just in time for the 5 pm kickoff. Temperatures will be pleasant with a high of about 75 degrees and lows that land in the upper 50s. The highest risk of thunderstorms will be in the overnight hours.

Saturday's Forecast Could Also Translate to Brief Delays

Although Saturday is not likely to be a washout for any particular region, the presence of scattered rain showers and storms could lead to some brief delays in the action. A stationary front that is anchored over the Plains and the South will be the culprit of the unsettled conditions.

The good news is that any storms that fire up are not expected to linger for a long period of time. Another bit of promise in the weather forecast is that temperatures will fall on the lower end of the historical average range for the end of August. In fact, some parts of the country will feel more like fall, helping college football fans to get into the spirit of the season.

There is no doubt that the biggest game of the day will happen early in the day when the University of Texas Longhorns head to Columbus, Ohio, for a clash between the Ohio State University Buckeyes. Conditions are looking favorable for the early-season match-up between two top-five teams.