I was anticipating the LSU- Clemson team all day. As a fan, it appeared to be the marquee matchup of the first full weekend of college football. As I turned over to the game, I learned that it was in a lightning delay. The game started almost two hours later. I went to bed. Judging by the score, it ended up being a dud anyhow. Nevertheless, an interesting thought “struck” me this morning in bed. Why is college football scared of lightnibg but not heat?

Now that question is meant to be provocative. Lightning should be feared, so the guidelines are warranted. My premise herein is that extreme heat should be perceived at the same (or greater) level of threat. As I warned days ago, many college football games were going to be played under dangerous heat conditions Saturday. Many places experienced temperatures near 100 degrees Fahrenheit and heat indices approaching 120 degrees Fahrenheit. According to National Weather Service statistics, heat has killed more people in the U.S. annually than lightning over the past 30 years.

Here’s the interesting next part of what I just wrote. We have very clear guidance to stop or delay games for lightning. Generally, the rule, often called the 8-30 rule, is that if lightning strikes within 8 to 10 miles of the stadium, teams have to wait for 30 straight minutes after the last lightning strike is detected. If there is a new strike, the clock starts again. With emerging weather technology and models, there is some discussion of modifying this approach, but for now, it is what we have. I have no problem with it.

What I do have a problem with is the lack of a uniform, national policy for game cancelation or postponement due to heat. Remember, heat is far more deadly than lightning annually. We knew several days in advance that extreme heat temperatures would cause significant medical issues this weekend. I also feared that things would be amplified by the college football environment, which includes excessive consumption of alcohol, heat exposure, and large populations in big giant concrete-metal heat sinks with limited air flow.

My colleague and noted journalist Andrew Revkin made me aware of a social media post that really sums it up. The post on X (above) by Hunter Schuler was probably a common observation at stadiums around the country yesterday. He compared the heat-related illness scene to a hurricane disaster shelter. Like tornado or hurricane warnings, meteorologists warned of this type of heat for days. I will repeat this. Meteorologists warned of such heat for days. On my social media pages, people were asking whether conferences, schools, or NCAA would consider postponing games or shifting them to the cooler part of the day. Look, I am not naive. I know that television contracts, logistics, ticket sales, and travel plans complicate such prospects.

And by the way, with heat indices like those experienced this weekend, even night games can be problematic. The Georgia Tech - Colorado game was played at night but the heat and humidity was still quite oppressive. When I see extreme heat conditions, I usually worry as much about the elevated nighttime temperatures as I do the headline-grabbing daily maximum temperatures. People sleep on heat, literally, yet studies consistently show that exposure to extreme heat at night disproportionately affects mortality risks and accelerates other heat related illnesses, particularly among elderly and other vulnerable demographic groups.

Which brings me back to my original premise. I argue that we need clear, definitive, and universal policies on game play for extreme heat going forward. The New York Times noted that nationwide mandates are limited, but conferences or local entities do have some leeway in making decisions about heat. It is crystal clear from the data that late summer-early fall temperatures and humidity are continuing to rise. “Climate change is the leading driver of fall warming trends in 82% of 245 major U.S. cities analyzed from 1970-2025,” according to Climate Central . “The season has warmed in every county across the contiguous U.S. since 1970…. — Fall has warmed in 241 U.S. cities — by 2.9°F on average from 1970 through 2025,” They went on to say. September 1 is the start of meteorological fall. With changing playoff scenarios, the NCAA game and practice season will likely continue to shift to the hotter summer months, noted weather and emergency preparedness expert Kevin Kloesel.

We cannot continue to operate under tired or misguided narratives like, “It’s just a hot day,” or “When I played, I played both ways in the heat all day.” This is not the heat of your youth. I found guidance on the Cumberland University website noting NCAA guidelines for mitigating heat illness or exposure. They included:

  • Obtain athletes’ medical histories of previous heat illnesses.
  • Allow a period of seven to ten days for acclimatization.
  • Instruct athletes to wear appropriate clothing during the acclimatization period.
  • Take regular measurements of the WBGT index.
  • Encourage athletes to adequately replace fluids.
  • Record body weight of athletes before and after practice. Identify susceptible athletes.
  • Constantly monitor athletes for signs of heat illness.

Many schools implemented additional cooling procedures, medical resources, and warnings. I commend those schools. The big question is whether adjustments should be made for games kicking off in the middle of a brutal heat day.

There were a couple of adjustments made around the nation. The Colorado School of Mines - Washburn game ended in a 16-16 tie because the heat index was 108 degrees and conditions were deemed too hazardous for overtime. The South Carolina - Kent State University game was shortened in the fourth quarter.

I need heat guidelines to be as universally understood as the 8-30 lightning rule. Future player, fan, and worker safety depends on it.