Hurricane Isaias impacts Week 6 college football: 1 canceled, 6 moved
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Hurricane Isaias reached Category 3 strength Friday morning on its path toward the Florida Panhandle, forcing schedule changes to seven college football games, while No. 2 Georgia at No. 6 Alabama holds its primetime slot.
The National Hurricane Center reported sustained winds of 120 mph Friday and expects landfall just east of Pensacola Beach on Friday night. West Florida’s home game in Pensacola is the only cancellation, while four Carolinas games moved to early-afternoon kickoffs.
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Is Georgia at Alabama still on?
The top-10 matchup at Bryant-Denny Stadium remains set for 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC, and Alabama released a full gameday timeline Friday morning built around that kickoff. Campus parking lots and shuttles won’t open until 1 p.m. ET, and tailgating on campus is barred before then.
Alabama also canceled pregame activities on the Quad and along Champions Lane, and ESPN’s College GameDay will broadcast from inside Coleman Coliseum. President Donald Trump still plans to attend, so fans will enter through one of three security checkpoints outside the stadium.
The storm has sped up since Thursday’s early schedule changes, which favors a night kickoff. ABC 33/40 chief meteorologist James Spann projected the worst wind and rain for Tuscaloosa Saturday morning into early afternoon.
“The weather looks favorable for Saturday night’s Alabama/Georgia game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa,” Spann wrote Thursday.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said the team had discussed alternate kickoff times.
“As far as I’ve heard, there were some options on different kick times on Saturday as they looked at the different weather models, but it sounds like the storm is moving fast and rapidly and it could be out before kickoff,” Smart said.
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Florida A&M at Alabama State
The Southwestern Athletic Conference moved the Hornets’ homecoming game in Montgomery from Saturday to noon ET Friday on SWAC TV. Alabama State also rescheduled all homecoming events planned from Friday through Sunday.
“Out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of public safety, Alabama State University has adjusted its Homecoming schedule due to the anticipated impact of Hurricane Isaias,” the school said.
Why did West Florida cancel?
West Florida called off Saturday’s nonconference home game against Northeastern State on Wednesday afternoon, citing the safety of its campus and the surrounding Pensacola community. The latest forecast now places landfall a short drive from the university, and the game likely won’t be rescheduled.
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South Carolina State at Charleston Southern
Saturday’s game at Buccaneer Field in North Charleston moved up six hours to noon ET on ESPN+. South Carolina State’s football account announced the switch to fans.
“Due to inclement weather, Saturday’s kickoff at Charleston Southern has moved to NOON ET!” the team posted.
When does Davidson-Presbyterian kick off?
Davidson at Presbyterian now starts at noon ET Saturday in Clinton, South Carolina. That’s 5.5 hours earlier than the original evening kickoff, and ESPN+ still carries the game.
East Tennessee State at The Citadel
The Southern Conference game in Charleston, South Carolina, moved up two hours to noon ET Saturday. Nexstar and ESPN+ will broadcast it.
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What changed for Rice-East Carolina?
Rice at East Carolina moved up three hours to 1 p.m. ET Saturday in Greenville, North Carolina, on Nexstar and ESPN+. It’s the only Football Bowl Subdivision game with a confirmed kickoff change so far.
Southern at Prairie View A&M
The conference pushed this game back one hour to 4 p.m. ET Saturday, and HBCU Go picked up the broadcast. Conference officials said more football changes are possible as the storm moves inland.
Is Bethune-Cookman at Alabama A&M changing?
Alabama A&M doesn’t plan to move the Louis Crews Classic against Bethune-Cookman, which kicks off at 7 p.m. ET Saturday in Huntsville on SWAC TV. Forecasts call for 1 to 3 inches of rain across North and East Alabama as Isaias moves inland. Alcorn State’s 3 p.m. ET home game against Arkansas Baptist in Lorman, Mississippi, also remains on its original schedule.
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