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Heavy rain played a big role in attendance figures at some games this week, particularly damaging the Nashville crowd. The Commodores (31,731) announced the lowest attendance after lightning pushed back the kickoff more than 90 minutes, leaving fans to grapple with a late start on a soggy weeknight.
Weather delayed three SEC games, interrupting Arkansas-Auburn, pushing Temple-Vanderbilt to a 9:52 p.m. CT kickoff Thursday and terminating Idaho-Florida following the much-delayed opening kickoff.
Thursday’s Boise State-Ole Miss game in Atlanta also drew low attendance with an announced crowd of just 32,823.
But more than 102,000 watched coach Butch Jones and Tennessee hammer respected non-conference foe Utah State at Neyland Stadium. Clemson-Georgia, Arkansas-Auburn and Texas A&M-South Carolina all topped 80,000.
West Virginia-Alabama (Georgia Dome) and Wisconsin-LSU (Reliant Stadium) also played before virtual capacity crowds, though NFL stadiums don’t hold as many bodies as college venues.
Here are the attendance figures from all 14 SEC schools in Week 1.
| Attendance | Game | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102,455 | Utah State at Tennessee | Aug. 31 | Neyland Stadium |
| 92,746 | Clemson at Georgia | Aug. 30 | Sanford Stadium |
| 87,451 | Arkansas at Auburn | Aug. 30 | Jordan-Hare Stadium |
| 82,847 | Texas A&M at South Carolina | Aug. 28 | Williams-Brice Stadium |
| 71,599 | Wisconsin vs. LSU | Aug. 30 | Reliant Stadium (Houston) |
| 70,502 | West Virginia vs. Alabama | Aug. 30 | Georgia Dome (Atlanta) |
| 61,889 | Southern Miss at Mississippi State | Aug. 30 | Davis Wade Stadium |
| 60,589 | South Dakota State at Missouri | Aug. 30 | Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field |
| 50,398 | Tennessee-Martin at Kentucky | Aug. 30 | Commonwealth Stadium |
| 32,823 | Boise State vs. Ole Miss | Aug. 28 | Georgia Dome (Atlanta) |
| 31,731 | Temple at Vanderbilt | Aug. 28 | Vanderbilt Stadium |
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
