Alabama Georgia game weather: Tracking Hurricane Isaias path, latest news

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While Hurricane Isaias moves toward the northern Gulf Coast, with landfall expected Friday night or early Saturday, the Georgia–Alabama football game is expected to be affected. How much remains to be seen.

The No. 7 Crimson Tide host the No. 2 Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and there are currently no plans to change the 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff for the game, although the severity of the storm could change that in the coming days.

On Friday morning, Isaias was on the cusp of becoming a Category 3 storm, which would classify it as a major hurricane. The storm will bring life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, flooding rain and a chance of tornadoes to the Southeast later Friday and Saturday.

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Much of Alabama and eastern Mississippi could end up seeing wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph from Isaias as it moves in on Friday night into Saturday morning, according to meteorologist Matt Lanza, writing in his Substack "The Eyewall."

"This is likely enough wind to cause some widespread power line issues," he said.

Is the Alabama Georgia football game being moved? Will game be canceled?

The much-anticipated SEC showdown between Alabama and Georgia will not be moved from Tuscaloosa and the kickoff remains scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday.

However, ESPN's "College GameDay", which will be on site for Alabama-Georgia, has decided because of the severe weather to move the show to broadcast inside from Coleman Coliseum.

"Alabama Athletics continues to closely monitor the weather forecast ahead of Saturday's football game, with the safety and well-being of the student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans as our highest priority. We remain in close communication with the National Weather Service, the Southeastern Conference Office and the University of Georgia as we observe conditions," Alabama wrote in an update statement Wednesday evening.

"We continue to encourage fans to rely on official Alabama Athletics and SEC channels for the latest information regarding Saturday's game."

Speaking to Fox Weather on Friday morning, Alabama meteorologist James Spann said the football game should be minimally impacted by the storm: "Because this thing is accelerating so quickly, we think the game will be just fine. No rain. Breezy? Yes. Damaging wind, no. The problem for me would be power outages tomorrow morning. Tuscaloosa can see wind gusts of 50, 55, maybe 60 mph about 4-6am, and that's going to create a lot of power outages, so we hope the lights will be on because it's a night game."

Alabama-Georgia weather update: Tracking Hurricane Isaias

The center of Isaias is forecast to be roughly 30 miles south of Pensacola Beach, Florida, at 7 p.m., according to a National Hurricane Center bulletin. Landfall – when the center of the storm moves over land – is forecast to take place a couple of hours later somewhere between Mobile, Alabama, and Destin, Florida.

As of Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service has Tuscaloosa under a Tropical Storm Watch with the incoming arrival of Hurricane Isaias. A flood watch is also imposed from Friday night to Saturday night.

Showers and, possibly, thunderstorms are expected Saturday with highs reaching 74 degrees. There's a 100% chance of precipitation with winds gusting as high as 45 mph.

Saturday night brings a 40% chance of showers. Lows will reach 62 degrees.

Alabama and Georgia players are both preparing for the conditions at practice.

"We practice in the wet conditions all the time," Georgia kicker Peyton Woodring said. "We do wet ball trails every week to prepare for those moments. And then wind is something you see in pregame. You get to feel both sides of the stadium, which way the wind's going, get a good read on it and how far you have to play a ball outside of uprights or where."

Alabama offensive lineman Jackson Lloyd added:

"It doesn't really affect me too much," Lloyd said. "I mean, rain or shine, we're doing the same thing no matter what. Plus you just get to run the ball more, so that's always nice."

It's still wait-and-see when it comes to weather for Alabama-Georgia, ultimately.

Alabama bans tailgating before noon, other operational changes

In addition to GameDay being moved inside, Alabama is also not allowing tailgating on campus before noon and will not permit tents after tailgating begins.

Trump says attending Alabama-Georgia will be based on weather

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday, Oct. 7, that his attendance for the Alabama-Georgia game will be based on how the weather unfolds.

"I love Alabama," Trump said. "… Look, if there's an emergency, if there's a hurricane, I don't want to do anything to take the focus off of all of the great people that work in those things. … I'm going to let the hurricane determine — I want people to be safe, that's all."

"College GameDay" moves inside to Coleman Coliseum

The "College GameDay" crew was forced indoors at Baton Rouge in Week 1, and is taking similar precautions in Tuscaloosa. The dais set up inside of Coleman Coliseum. As an aside, Bryce Young will be the guest picker for the game.

Will Hurricane Isaias be past Tuscaloosa by Georgia-Alabama game kickoff?

In some potentially much-welcomed news for Georgia, Alabama and anyone planning on being near Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, some of the most recent forecasts are showing that the worst of Hurricane Isaias might be past Tuscaloosa by the 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.

According to the latest weather models from the North American Mesoscale (NAM) Forecast System and Regional Deterministic Prediction System (RDPS), the storm will be well past Tuscaloosa by kickoff.

Kirby Smart addresses impact of hurricane on Georgia vs Alabama game

Georgia coach Kirby Smart was asked on Wednesday, Oct. 7 how much he's involved with discussions on whether Tropical Storm Isaias could delay the kickoff time, push the game back to a different day or affect the team's travel plans.

Smart said he doesn't offer much in the way of input. He's provided updates on the weather for Saturday, but he's primarily focused on the Bulldogs' gameplan.

“It’s uncertainty beyond my control," he said. "So we as coaches, game plan for multiple situations. You know weather conditions when they’re there. …You can’t really practice conditions. You can’t simulate them so you’re much better off to educate, learn from the past from other people who played in them and prepare to your team and not make it about that.”

Kalen DeBoer addresses impact of hurricane on Georgia-Alabama football game

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer was asked on Wednesday's SEC football coaches' teleconference how Tropical Storm Isaias could impact Saturday's game. Admitting he isn't a weather man, DeBoer said he is preparing his team despite any sort of potential change.

"That's not my area of expertise," DeBoer said. "I'm just getting our football team ready. It hasn't affected us much other than we're doing the wet ball drills and getting wet ball involved with some of our team reps. It's what we did last week at times getting ready, preparing for the rain a week ago. But I'm not really involved too much, just updated on, kind of, where things stand if there's anything that would need to be adjusted. But I haven't heard anything recently."

James Spann sends message for Alabama-Georgia tailgate

Alabama meteorologist James Spann provided the following message to those intending to tailgate on Saturday ahead of Georgia vs. Alabama: "Be sure your phone is charged. … Be sure that it is on so you can receive weather notifications"

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama Georgia game weather: Tracking Hurricane Isaias path, latest news

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