College Football Playoff National Championship: NRG stadium has leak on Washington sideline vs Michigan

Neither Michigan nor Washington would be phased by playing in a game with weather being a factor. Coming from the North and Pacific Northwest, Mother Nature attempts to throw curveballs at them throughout the season. Snow and rain are common occurrences on gameday for the two programs.

Now at the College Football Playoff National Championship in Houston, you would think they are safe from the weather. NRG Stadium is a dome and no matter how bad it is outside, the game should be able to be played inside.

Well, a leak has been discovered in the stadium and is coming down on the Washington sideline. Nothing too major but water is dropping down from the top. For now, there does not seem to be anything wrong on the Michigan side, as the Wolverines should be able to stay 100% dry.

You can check out the roof leak at NRG Stadium here via ESPN Radio’s Ian Fitzsimmons.

Uh, Houston we actually do have a small problem. Your house has sprung a leak on the Washington sideline. pic.twitter.com/fHkwhUiHbo

— Ian Fitzsimmons (@Ianfitzespn) January 8, 2024

The city of Houston has been dealing with inclement weather all day. Rain has been falling while tornados touched down north of the city. Fans have been urged to enter NRG Stadium early to get out of the rain and make sure they make kickoff on time.

A Tornado Watch 1 has been issued for the area as well, going until 9 p.m. CT. With the game kicking off around 6:45 local time, the latter stage of halftime and the beginning of the second half is when the watch is set to expire.

It’s different than the traditional college football experience but adapting to the elements has always been a part of the game.

Having a leaky roof is nothing new for the College Football Playoff. Back in 2018 when Alabama and Georgia were playing in the national championship game, Mercedes-Benz Stadium had a similar issue.

Even with the small leak, the weather is not expected to make an impact. There has been no official word on the leak from NRG Stadium but players are on the field and warming up. The game is expected to begin on time.

From there, a national champion will be determined on the field. Both Michigan and Washington are looking to end title droughts that go back to the 1990s. This is a historic moment for both programs and coming out on top would be even bigger.

A small leak in the roof is not going to change things.