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The Southeastern Conference moved No. 19 Ole Miss’s game at Oklahoma from Saturday to Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, after Friday’s nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop left the Rebels unable to fly to Norman.[1] The game had been set for Saturday at 4:15 p.m. ET.[1] The stoppage also forced several other college football games to new kickoff times and sent teams onto buses across the country.[2]
Related: FAA Lifts Nationwide Ground Stop at 8:15 p.m.; Duffy Says Recovery Will Be Slow.
Why Ole Miss-Oklahoma moved to Sunday
The ground stop lasted more than four hours before the FAA said Friday evening that departures could resume.[2] Transportation officials blamed communications problems at regional air traffic control centers.[2]
“After the stoppage was lifted, a late-night departure could not be accommodated by the charter company with which Ole Miss was contracted,” the SEC said in a statement.[1] The Rebels’ departure was delayed until Saturday afternoon.[1] Oklahoma Athletics confirmed the new kickoff as noon Central time Sunday, with TV information still to be determined.[3]
By late Friday, it was the only game moved to Sunday.[1]
Oklahoma athletic director objects
Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey made the decision over the school’s “strong objection.”[1] Denny said Sankey told Oklahoma that failing to play at the directed time Sunday would result in a forfeit.[1]
“Put simply, this decision isn’t fair to our athletes, our institution, or to Sooner Nation,” Denny said.[1] He said Oklahoma would play the game as directed.[1]
Buses and new kickoff times across college football
Auburn took buses to Mississippi State, and that game moved from noon to 4:15 p.m. ET.[2] Purdue traveled by bus from West Lafayette, Ind., to No. 15 Iowa.[2] Tulane boarded five buses for the 350-mile drive to Houston to play Rice.[2]
Kansas at West Virginia moved to 3:30 p.m. ET.[2] Arizona State at UCF moved from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.[2] Baylor’s game at No. 10 BYU was rescheduled to 7 p.m. ET, a source told ESPN.[2] Washington, grounded in Seattle, is set to play at Michigan State at 5:30 p.m. ET instead of 4:15 p.m.[4]
No. 8 Texas and No. 9 Tennessee returned to campus during the stoppage and landed at their destinations late Friday night.[2] Texas plays at No. 24 LSU, and Tennessee visits Texas A&M.[2] The Big Ten said all of its officials had reached their Saturday assignments.[2]
NBA and NHL teams also stranded
The Brooklyn Nets had boarded their plane in New Orleans when their flight to Memphis was halted.[2] The Cleveland Cavaliers, who played in Miami on Friday, stayed overnight and planned to leave for Dallas at 9 a.m. Saturday.[2] Cleveland hosts the Mavericks on Saturday.[2]
“It’s part of it. You just adapt,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said.[2] The San Jose Sharks were left waiting to learn whether they could fly to Utah.[2] NFL teams playing Sunday were expected to fly as planned Saturday.[2]
More coverage: College sports · Sports · Boston College’s Alumni Stadium to host four MIAA Super Bowls.
Sources
- ESPN: Ole Miss-Oklahoma bumped to Sunday despite Sooners AD’s ‘strong objection’
- ESPN: FAA ground stop throws sports world into travel chaos ahead of weekend games
- Oklahoma Athletics (SoonerSports.com): OU-Ole Miss Football Game Moved to Sunday at Noon
- CBS Sports: College football teams scrambling to find alternate travel plans after FAA lifts ground-stop order
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