Hurricane Ian is expected to make landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, but its effects could be felt in the sports world both before and after the storm comes ashore, and not only in Florida. The storm already has caused several leagues to alter their plans for upcoming events. Here’s a rundown:
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Hurricane Ian tracker: Map and projected storm path
The Bucs-Chiefs game still is scheduled to be played Sunday at 8:20 p.m. Eastern, though the NFL is monitoring the situation. The league has had to postpone or relocate several games because of weather over its history, most recently last year when Hurricane Ida forced the cancellation of a preseason game between the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints, who then had to move their regular season opener to Jacksonville, Fla., because of ongoing cleanup from the storm.
The Bucs and Chiefs do not share a bye week, so moving the game to later in the season would be difficult. If the game cannot be played Sunday night in Tampa, the league probably would either move the game to Monday night or play it Sunday night in a different city. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the NFL will not make a decision on Sunday’s game until Wednesday or Thursday.
Florida’s home game against Eastern Washington, originally scheduled for noon Eastern on Saturday, has been moved to Sunday at noon Eastern.
Florida State has canceled classes this week and will close its campus Thursday and Friday as a precaution, but its game at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday against Wake Forest still will be played as scheduled. Tallahassee is scheduled to receive the bulk of its rain Friday.
Central Florida also has canceled classes Wednesday through Friday and will close its Orlando campus on Wednesday and Thursday, though it’s expected to reopen Friday. The Knights’ home game at 3:30 p.m. Eastern against SMU is still scheduled to be played.
South Carolina announced Tuesday that its home game scheduled for noon Saturday against South Carolina State will be moved to Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern.
Other college football games could be played under wet and breezy conditions Saturday as the remnants of Ian move into the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic region:
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Hurricane Ian tracker: Map and projected storm path
NFL
With Ian likely to make landfall close to the Tampa area, where evacuation orders are in effect, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday announced they are relocating their football operations to the Miami area as they prepare for Sunday’s home game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bucs will practice at the Miami Dolphins’ facility starting Wednesday (the players have a day off Tuesday, and the Dolphins depart for their Thursday night game in Cincinnati on Wednesday).The Bucs-Chiefs game still is scheduled to be played Sunday at 8:20 p.m. Eastern, though the NFL is monitoring the situation. The league has had to postpone or relocate several games because of weather over its history, most recently last year when Hurricane Ida forced the cancellation of a preseason game between the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints, who then had to move their regular season opener to Jacksonville, Fla., because of ongoing cleanup from the storm.
The Bucs and Chiefs do not share a bye week, so moving the game to later in the season would be difficult. If the game cannot be played Sunday night in Tampa, the league probably would either move the game to Monday night or play it Sunday night in a different city. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the NFL will not make a decision on Sunday’s game until Wednesday or Thursday.
College football
Saturday’s college football game between South Florida and East Carolina in Tampa will be relocated to Florida Atlantic University’s stadium in Boca Raton, on the state’s Atlantic coast. The game will be played at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.Florida’s home game against Eastern Washington, originally scheduled for noon Eastern on Saturday, has been moved to Sunday at noon Eastern.
Florida State has canceled classes this week and will close its campus Thursday and Friday as a precaution, but its game at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday against Wake Forest still will be played as scheduled. Tallahassee is scheduled to receive the bulk of its rain Friday.
Central Florida also has canceled classes Wednesday through Friday and will close its Orlando campus on Wednesday and Thursday, though it’s expected to reopen Friday. The Knights’ home game at 3:30 p.m. Eastern against SMU is still scheduled to be played.
South Carolina announced Tuesday that its home game scheduled for noon Saturday against South Carolina State will be moved to Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern.
Other college football games could be played under wet and breezy conditions Saturday as the remnants of Ian move into the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic region:
- Texas State at James Madison, 1:30
- Michigan State at Maryland, 3:30
- Virginia Tech at North Carolina, 3:30
- Georgia Southern at Coastal Carolina, 4
- Liberty at Old Dominion, 6
- North Carolina State at Clemson, 7:30 p.m.
- Virginia at Duke, 7:30
