Worst kickoff times

The biggest gap on this page
Ohio State · Sept. 21, 2019
39 out of 100

At the 3:30 pm kickoff. 8 pm would have been 100. Tied for the worst of the day's 8 kickoff times.

8112p791p722p393:30p394p606p967p1008pSee this game

Every home game since 2018, scored on weather at its kickoff time and at the other kickoff times used that Saturday. Scores run from 0 to 100, and higher is better football weather. For each stadium we count how often it got the day's worst time, and compare that with what you would expect if each game's time were picked at random from that Saturday's times.

In Late Aug. and Sept., 7:30 pm averages 19 points above 3:30 pm.

Average weather score by start time

60100noon4 pm8 pm787795

Across 1,983 home games in Late Aug. and Sept. at the 135 stadiums in this analysis, the best of the three standard starts was 7:30 pm. are noon, 3:30 and 7:30 pm. is the best.

Worse and better than expected

How many games a stadium played at the day's worst or best time, against how many you would expect if times were picked at random. A bigger gap than you would see by chance. Within what chance could produce.

Worse than expectedGames at the day's worst time
UtahRice-Eccles Stadium12 of 19expected 6.4Colorado StateCanvas Stadium10 of 19expected 6.0ArkansasRazorback Stadium14 of 33expected 8.2
Next in line, within what chance could produce
NorthwesternLanny and Sharon Martin Stadium9 of 20expected 5.7Iowa StateJack Trice Stadium13 of 30expected 8.3CincinnatiNippert Stadium9 of 23expected 6.2TempleLincoln Financial Field9 of 20expected 5.0Ball StateScheumann Stadium7 of 15expected 5.6AuburnJordan-Hare Stadium13 of 30expected 9.0Wake ForestAllegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium11 of 27expected 8.2
Better than expectedGames at the day's best time
Florida InternationalPitbull Stadium16 of 33expected 6.7ArizonaArizona Stadium23 of 30expected 11.7Fresno StateValley Children's Stadium10 of 18expected 6.7FloridaBen Hill Griffin Stadium19 of 36expected 7.9UTEPSun Bowl9 of 18expected 5.6ArmyMichie Stadium12 of 17expected 6.1Georgia StateCenter Parc Stadium10 of 21expected 5.1UL MonroeMalone Stadium16 of 27expected 8.0
Show all 15LouisianaCajun Field8 of 26expected 5.4Florida AtlanticFAU Stadium7 of 35expected 7.1Southern MissM. M. Roberts Stadium9 of 30expected 7.5LibertyWilliams Stadium13 of 26expected 9.0Texas StateBobcat Stadium9 of 27expected 5.5LSUTiger Stadium21 of 37expected 11.5MiamiHard Rock Stadium12 of 37expected 7.4

It tends to repeat. Stadiums that got worse times in 2018 to 2021 tended to get them again in 2022 to 2025.

Kickoff times come from a mix of TV partners, conferences and schools, and the data does not say who chose each one. A gap can come from a conference's TV windows, from how much viewers want a game, or from time-zone habits. This page measures only the weather.

Kickoff weather by network: which TV networks aired games at the day’s worst time.

Ten biggest weather gaps in a single day

Each bar is one kickoff time used that Saturday, at that stadium. The dark bar is when the game kicked off. Times are local to the stadium. Ties go to the day with more kickoff times.

  1. 1
    Ohio StateOhio Stadium · Sept. 21, 2019Tied for the worst of the day's 8 kickoff times. Kicked off at 3:30 pm: weather 39 out of 100. At 8 pm it was 100. Felt 84°. Rain at kickoff.
    8112p791p722p393:30p394p606p967p1008p
    61points worse than the best time
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  2. 2
    NC StateCarter-Finley Stadium · Sept. 1, 2018Worst of the day's 7 kickoff times. Kicked off at noon: weather 43 out of 100. At 8 pm it was 99. Felt 97°.
    4312p461p472p613:30p936p967p998p
    56points worse than the best time
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  3. 3
    UCLARose Bowl · Sept. 3, 2022Tied for the worst of the day's 6 kickoff times. Kicked off at 11:30 am: weather 25 out of 100. At 7:30 pm it was 80. Felt 108°.
    2511:30a2612:30p262:30p515p716:30p807:30p
    55points worse than the best time
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  4. 4
    Ohio StateOhio Stadium · Sept. 1, 2018Tied for the worst of the day's 7 kickoff times. Kicked off at noon: weather 50 out of 100. At 8 pm it was 100. Felt 80°. Rain at kickoff.
    5012p501p522p553:30p986p997p1008p
    50points worse than the best time
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  5. 5
    Middle TennesseeJohnny "Red" Floyd Stadium · Sept. 21, 2024Tied for the worst of the day's 7 kickoff times. Kicked off at 3 pm: weather 52 out of 100. At 6:45 pm it was 99. Felt 90°. Rain at kickoff.
    6011a541p523p553:15p654p876p996:45p
    47points worse than the best time
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  6. 6
    Ole MissVaught-Hemingway Stadium · Sept. 22, 2018Worst of the day's 6 kickoff times. Kicked off at 11 am: weather 53 out of 100. At 7 pm it was 100. Felt 90°.
    5311a752:30p833:30p906p1007p1007:35p
    47points worse than the best time
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  7. 7
    Florida StateDoak Campbell Stadium · Sept. 20, 2025Worst of the day's 6 kickoff times. Kicked off at 3:30 pm: weather 52 out of 100. At 7:30 pm it was 98. Felt 90°.
    5812p5612:45p523:30p584:30p836p987:30p
    46points worse than the best time
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  8. 8
    Mississippi StateDavis Wade Stadium · Sept. 7, 2019Worst of the day's 4 kickoff times. Kicked off at 2:30 pm: weather 42 out of 100. At 7 pm it was 88. Felt 101°.
    4811a422:30p756p887p
    46points worse than the best time
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  9. 9
    NC StateCarter-Finley Stadium · Sept. 9, 2023Tied for the worst of the day's 10 kickoff times. Kicked off at noon: weather 53 out of 100. At 8:30 pm it was 98. Felt 73°. Rain at kickoff.
    5311a5312p531p712p923:30p924p885p896p947:30p988:30p
    45points worse than the best time
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  10. 10
    Texas StateBobcat Stadium · Sept. 12, 2020Worst of the day's 5 kickoff times. Kicked off at 2:30 pm: weather 51 out of 100. At 9 pm it was 96. Felt 96°.
    6111a512:30p736p867p969p
    45points worse than the best time
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Not the same as Worst under the lights, which compares noon with 7:30 on a typical Saturday. Best and worst football weather

Every stadium in one table
Team and stadiumGames at the worst timeExpectedAgainst chance
Air Force
Falcon Stadium		6 of 236.7About what is expected
Alabama
Bryant-Denny Stadium		12 of 399.7About what is expected
App State
Kidd Brewer Stadium		2 of 214.7About what is expected
Arizona
Arizona Stadium		3 of 309.1Better than expected
Arizona State
Mountain America Stadium		6 of 267.4About what is expected
Arkansas
Razorback Stadium		14 of 338.2Worse than expected
Arkansas State
Centennial Bank Stadium		3 of 287.3About what is expected
Army
Michie Stadium		1 of 172.9Better than expected
Auburn
Jordan-Hare Stadium		13 of 309.0About what is expected
Ball State
Scheumann Stadium		7 of 155.6About what is expected
Baylor
McLane Stadium		14 of 379.9About what is expected
Boston College
Alumni Stadium		6 of 225.3About what is expected
Charlotte
Jerry Richardson Stadium		2 of 195.1About what is expected
Cincinnati
Nippert Stadium		9 of 236.2About what is expected
Clemson
Memorial Stadium		7 of 278.6About what is expected
Coastal Carolina
Brooks Stadium		8 of 297.9About what is expected
Colorado
Folsom Field		5 of 165.5About what is expected
Colorado State
Canvas Stadium		10 of 196.0Worse than expected
Duke
Wallace Wade Stadium		5 of 246.0About what is expected
East Carolina
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium		8 of 268.0About what is expected
Eastern Michigan
Rynearson Stadium		3 of 194.6About what is expected
Florida
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium		4 of 3611.9Better than expected
Florida Atlantic
FAU Stadium		4 of 3511.9Better than expected
Florida International
Pitbull Stadium		2 of 3311.6Better than expected
Florida State
Doak Campbell Stadium		7 of 3811.6About what is expected
Fresno State
Valley Children's Stadium		0 of 185.1Better than expected
Georgia
Sanford Stadium		9 of 339.5About what is expected
Georgia Southern
Allen E. Paulson Stadium		7 of 289.5About what is expected
Georgia State
Center Parc Stadium		4 of 217.0Better than expected
Georgia Tech
Bobby Dodd Stadium		4 of 267.5About what is expected
Houston
TDECU Stadium		4 of 236.5About what is expected
Illinois
Memorial Stadium		6 of 276.9About what is expected
Indiana
Memorial Stadium		11 of 319.5About what is expected
Iowa
Kinnick Stadium		9 of 267.3About what is expected
Iowa State
Jack Trice Stadium		13 of 308.3About what is expected
Kansas
Memorial Stadium		7 of 246.1About what is expected
Kansas State
Bill Snyder Family Stadium		10 of 318.2About what is expected
Kentucky
Kroger Field		13 of 3610.9About what is expected
LSU
Tiger Stadium		7 of 3710.7Better than expected
Liberty
Williams Stadium		1 of 266.5Better than expected
Louisiana
Cajun Field		2 of 267.8Better than expected
Louisiana Tech
Joe Aillet Stadium		6 of 236.9About what is expected
Louisville
L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium		7 of 227.4About what is expected
Marshall
Joan C. Edwards Stadium		3 of 266.0About what is expected
Maryland
SECU Stadium		3 of 245.2About what is expected
Massachusetts
Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium		4 of 235.0About what is expected
Memphis
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium		8 of 245.8About what is expected
Miami
Hard Rock Stadium		6 of 3713.3Better than expected
Michigan
Michigan Stadium		9 of 328.8About what is expected
Michigan State
Spartan Stadium		3 of 183.6About what is expected
Middle Tennessee
Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium		3 of 235.4About what is expected
Minnesota
Huntington Bank Stadium		5 of 174.9About what is expected
Mississippi State
Davis Wade Stadium		6 of 318.5About what is expected
Missouri
Memorial Stadium		6 of 297.7About what is expected
NC State
Carter-Finley Stadium		14 of 307.4About what is expected
Nebraska
Memorial Stadium		9 of 256.6About what is expected
North Carolina
Kenan Stadium		6 of 287.4About what is expected
North Texas
DATCU Stadium		9 of 349.9About what is expected
Northwestern
Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium		9 of 205.7About what is expected
Notre Dame
Notre Dame Stadium		12 of 287.0About what is expected
Ohio State
Ohio Stadium		8 of 268.7About what is expected
Oklahoma
Memorial Stadium		8 of 287.6About what is expected
Oklahoma State
Boone Pickens Stadium		11 of 379.8About what is expected
Old Dominion
S.B. Ballard Stadium		2 of 215.7About what is expected
Ole Miss
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium		13 of 349.0About what is expected
Oregon
Autzen Stadium		6 of 206.7About what is expected
Penn State
Beaver Stadium		5 of 235.0About what is expected
Pittsburgh
Acrisure Stadium		6 of 205.3About what is expected
Purdue
Ross-Ade Stadium		7 of 267.7About what is expected
Rice
Rice Stadium		5 of 278.8About what is expected
Rutgers
SHI Stadium		4 of 266.5About what is expected
SMU
Gerald J. Ford Stadium		7 of 298.3About what is expected
San Diego State
Snapdragon Stadium		2 of 215.9About what is expected
South Carolina
Williams-Brice Stadium		11 of 3410.2About what is expected
South Florida
Raymond James Stadium		8 of 2911.0About what is expected
Southern Miss
M. M. Roberts Stadium		1 of 307.6Better than expected
TCU
Amon G. Carter Stadium		7 of 247.2About what is expected
Temple
Lincoln Financial Field		9 of 205.0About what is expected
Tennessee
Neyland Stadium		6 of 336.5About what is expected
Texas
DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium		11 of 3310.4About what is expected
Texas A&M
Kyle Field		6 of 339.5About what is expected
Texas State
Bobcat Stadium		4 of 277.7Better than expected
Texas Tech
Jones AT&T Stadium		13 of 389.4About what is expected
Toledo
Glass Bowl		4 of 195.2About what is expected
Troy
Veterans Memorial Stadium		5 of 327.7About what is expected
Tulane
Yulman Stadium		7 of 216.7About what is expected
Tulsa
Chapman Stadium		5 of 215.5About what is expected
UAB
Legion Field		9 of 217.7About what is expected
UCF
FBC Mortgage Stadium		7 of 3112.0About what is expected
UCLA
Rose Bowl		7 of 236.5About what is expected
UL Monroe
Malone Stadium		3 of 276.8Better than expected
UTEP
Sun Bowl		3 of 186.3Better than expected
Utah
Rice-Eccles Stadium		12 of 196.4Worse than expected
Vanderbilt
FirstBank Stadium		7 of 267.1About what is expected
Virginia
Scott Stadium		7 of 235.3About what is expected
Virginia Tech
Lane Stadium		6 of 195.1About what is expected
Wake Forest
Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium		11 of 278.2About what is expected
Washington
Husky Stadium		7 of 165.8About what is expected
Washington State
Gesa Field		7 of 227.9About what is expected
West Virginia
Milan Puskar Stadium		8 of 225.6About what is expected
Western Kentucky
Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium		5 of 236.1About what is expected
Wisconsin
Camp Randall Stadium		8 of 266.2About what is expected
Wyoming
War Memorial Stadium		8 of 237.3About what is expected
How this is counted

Weather score is the 0 to 100 score used across these pages: temperature, wind, rain and sky over a 200-minute window starting at kickoff, read at the stadium's nearest airport. For each Saturday we list the kickoff times actually used in that time zone (times within 30 minutes count as one) and score the stadium's weather at each. For each game we rank its kickoff time against the others used that day, worst to best. Times within 3 points of each other count as tied, and a game is labelled "tied for the worst" or "tied for the best" when another time is that close, so a tie counts in both the worst and the best tallies. Picking at random gives each time the share of games that really used it that day. Only Saturdays where the best and worst times were at least 10 points apart are counted. A stadium is listed when it has at least 30 scored games and 15 such Saturdays. Hawaiʻi has too few games, and indoor stadiums are not in the data.

Stadiums that got worse times in 2018 to 2021 tended to get them again in 2022 to 2025: correlation 0.468 (95% interval 0.27 to 0.62, 91 stadiums), where 0 means no link and pure chance gives -0.00 give or take 0.103. A gap is called bigger than chance when it beats 2,000 random re-picks of each Saturday's times, after allowing for looking at many stadiums at once.

Airport readings can differ from the stands. Kickoff times that moved for weather are not separated out.