The FAA’s nationwide ground stop briefly put college football travel in limbo Friday, but Duke’s trip to South Florida cleared one major hurdle. The Blue Devils have already landed ahead of their matchup with No. 7 Miami, according to ESPN’s Andrea Adelson.
The shutdown hit at 3:54 p.m. ET because of a communication issue, U.S.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on social media. It affected all Air Route Traffic Control centers, and the FAA was still investigating the problem.
With teams scattered across the country, the timing created a scramble for programs trying to figure out who was airborne, who was stuck, and who could still get where they needed to go.
For the ACC, though, the immediate concern eased. All visiting ACC teams are on the ground, so those conference games will move forward. The bigger uncertainty now is what happens after the games, when teams have to get back home and the grounding could still be in effect.
As of 5:28 p.m. ET, several programs were still listed in the air or without movement.
In the Big 12, that included Baylor, Kansas State, Utah, and Arizona State. In the SEC, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Texas were still affected.
In the Big Ten, Minnesota, Purdue, and Washington remained in limbo. The G6 teams still listed were Oregon State, Wyoming, and North Texas.
Duke’s landing matters because this is not just any road game. The Blue Devils are heading into an important ACC matchup with Miami, and the Hurricanes are coming off a 31-24 loss to Notre Dame in their first defeat of the season after a controversial call helped swing the game.
The last time these two teams met, Miami put up 53 points at home behind Cam Ward, while Duke scored 32 of its own. That result is part of the backdrop here, especially with the Blue Devils arriving after a strong defensive stretch.
Duke rolled past rival NC State 41-3 last time out, and the defense has now allowed only five points over the last two games. Nate Sheppard has been a major part of that run, giving Duke another all-around weapon as it heads into the Miami game.
In Other News...
Darian Mensah Brings Real Bad Blood Into Miamis Duke Showdown
The buildup to Dukes trip to Miami has taken on a sharper edge because of the path Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate took to get there. Mensah, who now starts for the Hurricanes after transferring from Duke, arrives with plenty of baggage beyond the usual familiarity that comes with a player seeing his old team. He has also been one of the most efficient passers in the country, leading the FBS in completion percentage, while the NIL deal attached to his move reportedly stirred real friction in Durham.
Gino Torretta, the former Miami quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, has already weighed in on the situation, which only adds to the intrigue around this matchup. Duke sued to enforce Mensahs NIL agreement before the matter was eventually settled, clearing the way for him to leave for Miami, and Barkate made the same move. So when the Blue Devils line up across from them, this one will carry more than the usual conference-game edge. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Kept Its NCAA Run Alive With A Thrilling Finish
Ashley Stockdale gave Duke exactly the kind of lift it needed to keep its NCAA run moving, scoring twice as the Blue Devils outlasted seventh-seeded Iowa 3-2 in overtime in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Championship. The juniors night included the decisive finish in extra time, turning a tight tournament opener into another postseason escape for a program that has become used to playing deep into November.
The win sends Duke to the NCAA quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive season, a streak that says plenty about the programs staying power even in a bracket where every possession feels urgent. Iowa made the Blue Devils work for it, but Duke found a way to survive and advance, and now the challenge gets even steeper as the field narrows. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Avoided A Travel Mess Before A Huge Miami Test
A nationwide FAA ground stop has thrown travel plans into uncertainty across the country, but Duke is already in Miami and clear of the mess ahead of a major ACC road test. The Blue Devils are set for a noon ET kickoff against the Hurricanes, with the game slated for live coverage on ABC.
For a team trying to handle a tough conference trip, simply getting to the site on time is no small thing when thousands of flights are affected and no official end time has been announced. Duke and the other ACC road teams already on location have at least removed one variable from the equation, leaving the focus squarely on the matchup itself and a Miami team that will be waiting at home. [Read more 🡒]