Hurricane Isaias has already forced a round of college football schedule changes, with one game canceled and six others shifted as the storm pushes toward the Florida Panhandle. But the biggest stage in the sport Saturday night is still intact: No.
2 Georgia at No. 6 Alabama remains set for primetime in Tuscaloosa.
The National Hurricane Center said Friday that Isaias had strengthened to Category 3 status, with sustained winds of 120 mph and landfall expected just east of Pensacola Beach on Friday night. That forecast knocked West Florida’s home game in Pensacola off the board, while four games in the Carolinas were moved up to early-afternoon start times.
At Bryant-Denny Stadium, though, the Georgia-Alabama matchup is still scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC.
Alabama put out a full gameday timeline Friday morning built around that kickoff, with campus parking lots and shuttles not opening until 1 p.m. ET and tailgating on campus prohibited before then.
The Crimson Tide also canceled pregame activities on the Quad and along Champions Lane. ESPN’s College GameDay will air from inside Coleman Coliseum, and President Donald Trump still plans to attend. Fans will enter through one of three security checkpoints outside the stadium.
The storm has moved faster than it did Thursday, which helps the night game survive. ABC 33/40 chief meteorologist James Spann said the roughest weather for Tuscaloosa should arrive 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 coach Kirby Smart said his program had at least talked through other kickoff possibilities.
“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.
The first domino to fall was West Florida’s home game against Northeastern State, which was canceled Wednesday afternoon because of concerns for the university campus and the broader Pensacola area. With landfall now expected just a short drive from the school, the game is unlikely to be rescheduled.
Alabama State also altered its homecoming weekend. The Southwestern Athletic Conference moved the Hornets’ homecoming game against Florida A&M in Montgomery from Saturday to noon ET Friday on SWAC TV, and the school adjusted 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.
Several other games in the path of the storm have been pushed earlier, especially in South Carolina and North Carolina. South Carolina State’s trip to Charleston Southern at Buccaneer Field in North Charleston moved up six hours to noon ET Saturday on ESPN+, with the program telling fans: “Due to inclement weather, Saturday’s kickoff at Charleston Southern has moved to NOON ET!”
Davidson at Presbyterian also shifted to noon ET Saturday in Clinton, South Carolina, cutting 5.5 hours off the original evening start. ESPN+ still has that game.
East Tennessee State’s Southern Conference matchup at The Citadel in Charleston moved up two hours to noon ET Saturday, with Nexstar and ESPN+ carrying it.
Rice at East Carolina is now set for 1 p.m. ET Saturday in Greenville, North Carolina, a three-hour adjustment that makes it the only Football Bowl Subdivision game with a confirmed kickoff change so far. That game will be on Nexstar and ESPN+.
Another conference move pushed Southern at Prairie View A&M back one hour to 4 p.m. ET Saturday, with HBCU Go handling the broadcast. Conference officials said more changes could still come as Isaias moves inland.
Not every game in the region has been touched. Alabama A&M said it does not plan to move the Louis Crews Classic against Bethune-Cookman, which remains set for 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 the storm tracks inland, and Alcorn State’s 3 p.m.
ET home game against Arkansas Baptist in Lorman, Mississippi, also remains on schedule.
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