The Alabama-Georgia showdown is still on the board for Saturday night, but the weather picture around it is getting a lot messier by the hour.
The University of Alabama said there are no plans right now to move or postpone the game against Georgia, even as officials keep tabs on a system spinning up in the Gulf. UA says it is watching the forecast closely and staying in contact with the Southeastern Conference, with the message to fans clear: “Fans are encouraged to rely on official Alabama athletics and SEC channels for the latest information regarding Saturday’s game,” UA officials said Tuesday night.
Tropical Storm Isaias formed in the southwest Gulf Wednesday morning, and hurricane and storm surge watches have already been posted for parts of the central Gulf Coast. According to ANF First Alert metorologists, the storm is expected to move through the Gulf this week and become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. The forecast track has it reaching the middle Gulf coast Friday before making landfall Friday night or early Saturday as a hurricane.
That timing matters in Tuscaloosa. No.
2 Georgia and No. 6 Alabama are set to kick off at 7:30 p.m.
EST Saturday inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, with ESPN College GameDay also slated to be on hand starting at 9 a.m. WTBC 1230 AM in Tuscaloosa reported seeing ESPN trucks on campus, but said the show was “awaiting final confirmation for Saturday’s show.”
ESPN has not said anything publicly about the storm or floated a backup location. The network has never moved College GameDay after announcing a site, though it did have to take the show indoors in Week 1 at LSU because of lightning. ESPN’s Courtney Clawson said only severe weather would force the show inside.
“Some of the show’s most memorable moments have come on a rainy Saturday morning,” Clawson said.
“We always have contingency plans in place, as the safety of our team and fans are our top priority,” Clawson said. “Our safety and operations team has plans in place every week for situations like this.”
There’s also uncertainty around President Trump’s appearance. He announced last week that he would attend the game, then softened that on Wednesday by saying “we’ll have to see” if he makes it.
The storm’s reach isn’t limited to Alabama. In north Georgia, Isaias is expected to pass west of the area this weekend and bring several problems, including heavy rain, street flooding, wind gusts of at least 30 mph, and the potential for tornadoes.
Showers are expected to start moving in from the south Friday night, with the biggest impacts coming during the day Saturday and lingering into early Sunday. The rain and wind should exit north Georgia by Sunday afternoon or evening, while any tornado threat would be most serious very late Saturday into the early hours of Sunday.
That timing could also complicate travel on the way to and from Tuscaloosa along I-20.
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