With the FAA’s nationwide ground stop throwing the Week 11 schedule into uncertainty, college football teams are finding themselves stuck in places they never planned to be. Some are scrambling to change travel plans. Others are simply waiting it out and trying to make the best of a bad situation.
Colorado State chose the second path on Friday night.
Pete Thamel of ESPN posted a photo of the Rams going through a walkthrough right outside their plane at Northern Colorado Regional Airport while they waited for the tarmac to clear and for permission to take off. The team is trying to get to Pullman for Saturday night’s game against Washington State, and instead of sitting idle, they used the delay to keep working.
“Scenes from the FAA stoppage: Colorado State is holding a walk-through at Northern Colorado Regional Airport as the team waits to fly to Pullman to play at Washington State on Saturday night. https://t.co/JiKvb9FAJ5
- Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 14, 2026”
The good news for Colorado State is that the clock is still on its side. The Rams and Cougars are not set to kick off at Martin Stadium until 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, which leaves more than 24 hours for Colorado State to make the trip.
For now, though, the larger issue is the shutdown itself. Flights have been grounded nationwide since about 4:00 p.m. ET, and that has already created crowded airports and a mess that could get worse once travel starts moving again.
In Other News...
Washington State Got Its First Win But Left Fans With A Debate
Washington State finally got into the win column with a 123-87 victory over Northwest University, and the box score offered plenty for Cougars fans to like. The offense came out firing, the team built a 69-42 halftime lead, and six different players finished in double figures in a performance that suggested there is real scoring depth on this roster.
Still, the celebration came with a familiar caveat for a fan base that has been waiting to see cleaner basketball. The Cougars were loose enough defensively in the second half to let the NAIA opponent hang around on the scoreboard, giving up 87 points and 14 made 3-pointers. For a team trying to build momentum after its first win of the season, the debate now is whether the offensive burst was the start of something or just the easy part of the night. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Gets A Rare Chance To Fix Its Biggest Problem
Washington State enters this matchup with a rare opening to clean up the part of its season that has caused the most frustration. The Cougars are still searching for their first FBS win, and the timing could hardly be better against a Colorado State defense that has been near the bottom of the national rankings in several categories. For a Washington State offense that has struggled to find rhythm and has had to manage injury concerns, this is the kind of game that can either provide a reset or deepen the questions.
Colorado States trip to Pullman was also complicated by travel delays tied to the nationwide FAA flight grounding, adding another layer of uncertainty to a game already carrying plenty of weight for both sides. Washington State does not need style points so much as a cleaner, more complete performance, and the Rams defensive issues give the Cougars a chance to finally show some progress. The challenge now is turning that opportunity into something tangible when the game actually gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Faces A Must-Take Chance To End Its FBS Skid
Washington State is getting a timely opening this week, with Colorado State dealing with travel delays after a nationwide flight grounding and a defense that has been a problem all season. The Cougars are still searching for their first FBS win, and this matchup gives them a chance to line up against a unit that ranks last nationally in several defensive categories.
For Washington State, the path is obvious enough: find room for quarterback Owen Eshelman and make the Rams pay for every breakdown. The Cougars have not had many clean chances to reset their season, but this one looks like a must-take opportunity to break the skid and build something they can carry forward. [Read more 🡒]