For the second straight, a major weather event could have an impact on the college football schedule.
Last week, Hurricane Harvey pounded Southern Texas in a storm of epic proportions that forced several games, including BYU-LSU from Houston to New Orleans, to be either moved or postponed. Several days ago, Hurricane Irma formed in the Atlantic Ocean and, as it barrels toward the Caribbean Islands, is now a Category 5 storm and one of the largest in history.#Irma is the strongest #hurricane in the Atlantic basin outside of the Caribbean Sea & Gulf of Mexico in NHC records https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/P8ebbQJR4k
— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) September 5, 2017
The latest projections have Irma having a heavy impact on South Florida by Sunday. It’s also possible that Georgia, the Carolinas or “even sweep the eastern Gulf of Mexico,” USA Today wrote. Several games could be impacted by the storm and its aftermath, including Louisville at North Carolina, Northwestern at Duke, Louisiana-Monroe at Florida State and Memphis at UCF. There’s a possibility that the latter game, scheduled for Saturday, could be moved to Friday or even Thursday.
We’re monitoring #HurricaneIrma closely. Still planning to host Memphis at Spectrum Stadium, but not sure when. Final decision soon.
— Danny White (@UCFDannyWhite) September 5, 2017
That decision is expected to come at some point today.
Florida International is scheduled to play host to Alcorn State Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET. That game could either be moved to another day or rescheduled.
Additionally, Miami will travel to play Arkansas State Saturday afternoon in Jonesboro. Right now, the game is scheduled to kick off at 3:30 ET; in a statement, Miami athletic director Blake James that he and his department “are monitoring” the storm ahead of the game and “are working through possible scenarios.”
Below is James’ statement, in its entirety: