Texas’ trip to Baton Rouge hit an unexpected snag Friday afternoon when a nationwide FAA ground stop interrupted the Longhorns’ travel plans ahead of Saturday night’s game at LSU.
The No. 8 Longhorns were set to leave Austin around the same time the Federal Aviation Administration put the brakes on all flights at approximately 3:15 p.m.
Texas Football had already posted a video on X at 2:48 p.m. showing players boarding a plane before the matchup with the No. 24 Tigers.
By shortly before 5 p.m., John Bianco, Texas Football’s senior associate athletics director, confirmed to KXAN that the team’s flight had been grounded. The Longhorns were then sent back to campus.
At this point, it is still unclear whether Texas will be able to get to Baton Rouge in time or whether the delay will impact Saturday’s game. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Tiger Stadium.
Texas wasn’t the only program caught in the disruption. Tennessee and Ole Miss, both SEC teams, were also affected by the nationwide ground stop. Tennessee is scheduled to play Texas A&M in College Station, while Ole Miss is set to face Oklahoma in Norman.
Baylor also got caught up in the travel mess, with the Bears scheduled to meet BYU in Provo, Utah.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel also reported that North Texas is traveling by bus to San Antonio for its Saturday game against UTSA after the flight issues.
The ground stop created uncertainty for several college football teams, though it remains unclear whether any of Saturday’s games will actually be affected.
In Other News...
Texas Suddenly Faces A Travel Problem Before LSU Showdown
Texas trip to Baton Rouge hit an unexpected snag before the Longhorns even left Austin, as the teams charter flight was grounded by a nationwide FAA ground stoppage tied to a communication issue affecting air traffic control. Players and staff deplaned and headed back to their stadium, leaving a routine travel day suddenly turned into a waiting game.
With the FAA still not lifting the ground stop, there has been no announcement on how the Longhorns will get to LSU for the upcoming showdown. For a team trying to keep its focus on the field, the logistics are now part of the story, and the next move remains unclear. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Gets An Early Read On Two Key LSU Week Concerns
Texas got a little clarity on its injury picture ahead of LSU, with defensive lineman Hero Kanu moving up to probable on the SEC availability report. On the other side of the ball, offensive lineman Cole Hutson remains questionable, leaving one of the more important pregame concerns still unresolved as the Longhorns continue to sort through a banged-up roster.
Texas is already working around several longer-term absences, with Trevor Goosby, Hollywood Smothers, Nick Townsend, and Richard Wesley all out for the season or for multiple games. LSU has its own mix of out, questionable and probable designations, so both teams will be watching the final availability updates closely before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Faces A Brutal Baton Rouge Test Under The Lights
Texas is heading into one of the sports most unforgiving road environments, with a trip to Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge for the first time since 1953. The setting alone makes this a measuring-stick game, and the matchup only sharpens the edge: LSU has been especially tough in Saturday night home games, while Steve Sarkisian and his players have been candid about the challenge waiting for them.
The Tigers bring a loaded profile on both sides of the ball, with quarterback Sam Leavitt and running back Dilin Jones driving a high-powered offense and a highly ranked defense backing it up. For Texas, the assignment is as much about handling the atmosphere as it is matching talent, and that combination is what makes this one of the more daunting tests on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]