India, Sept. 20 -- The North Carolina Tar Heels and Clemson Tigers were forced to leave the field late in their ACC opener after lightning was detected in the area surrounding Memorial Stadium.

Officials stopped the game with 8:11 left in the fourth quarter, with North Carolina holding a 17-15 lead over Clemson. The Tar Heels were in the middle of a promising drive and had advanced to the Clemson 7-yard line when play was suspended.

The weather delay could last for a significant amount of time, according to Noah Weiskopf of TarHeel 247. Reporters at the stadium were told that the best-case scenario would see the game resume around 5 p.m., although that possibility did not appear particularly promising.

"We're being told this weather de...