The LSU football team was 40-2 under coach Les Miles in Saturday night games inside Tiger Stadium entering its season opener against McNeese State on Saturday night. After tonight’s event, nothing changed. The Tigers are still 40-2.

After a three-hour, 46-minute weather delay, LSU and McNeese State agreed on canceling their respective opening games. But McNeese still left with a $500,000 check.

As the NCAA mandates, if lightning strikes within eight miles of the stadium, play must be suspended for 30 minutes. The clock restarts every time there is another strike.

On Saturday night, that clock never stopped restarting as the players tried to stay fresh in the locker room.

“They stretched and relaxed,” Miles said about his players during the delay. “First of all, we brought them in and we went over football. We went over football twice, maybe three times. We went over the plays we needed to go over.”

LSU and McNeese competed for 11 total plays before play was subdued. No stats from tonight’s event will be kept, counting as a “no game” for LSU and McNeese State.

“We just felt that it was not in the best interest of our players to go out and play this game,” said LSU athletic director Joe Alleva. “I apologize, but we cannot control the weather and I’m sorry.”

Well why not play on Sunday?

“Tomorrow is really not an option,” Alleva said. “McNeese had to go home. They didn’t have a hotel. It would be logistically almost impossible for our staff to get the stadium ready to play.”

Sophomore Brandon Harris played a total of five plays in Saturday’s affair, which isn’t what Miles hoped for before diving into Southeastern Conference play next weekend. Harris and the Tigers head to Mississippi State next weekend and needed the reps from the game tonight, Miles said.

“This is his first start [this season],” Miles said. “I would have loved to of had him have it. But, that’s impossible. We can’t go back.”
You can reach Christian Boutwell on Twitter @CBoutwell_TDR.