The Federal Aviation Administration’s nationwide ground stop on Friday afternoon halted all departing flights just as college football teams were preparing to travel for their Week 11 games. After a tense several hours, the FAA lifted the order late Friday night, but many programs still faced uncertainty in finalizing travel and arrival times.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy advised teams to coordinate directly with the FAA to reschedule flights and ensure games can proceed as planned. “I would encourage those football teams to reach out to the FAA to schedule their flight times and make sure they have games going off tomorrow,” he said during a press conference.
Several teams were unable to depart before the stoppage and had to adjust their plans. Auburn, which had not taken off, opted to bus to Starkville for their game against Mississippi State. The Southeastern Conference confirmed the kickoff for that matchup would move from noon to 4:15 p.m. ET “due to travel issues related to Friday’s FAA ground stoppage.”
Alabama, unaffected by the stoppage due to earlier bus travel to Nashville, prepared for their game as scheduled. Tennessee managed to fly out Friday night after the ground stop was lifted, heading to their game against Texas A&M.
Ole Miss decided against flying to Oklahoma after the FAA order and said they were exploring alternative options. A spokesperson stated, “We are continuing to work through our options and coordinate with the appropriate groups regarding both travel and the game.”
Florida and Kentucky both arrived at their locations before the stoppage and remain on track for their Saturday evening meeting. Texas, grounded on the tarmac when the order came through, returned to their facilities and awaited further instructions on when they could fly to Baton Rouge.
South Carolina landed in Arkansas ahead of the stoppage and is set to face the Razorbacks. The SEC is still assessing whether officiating crews for Saturday’s games were affected, with sources indicating evaluations are ongoing.
In the Big Ten, Washington, Minnesota, and Purdue were impacted. Washington remained grounded in Seattle, facing a difficult travel situation to East Lansing. Minnesota was delayed but expected to fly to Penn State on Saturday. Purdue chose to bus to Iowa City. Northwestern landed in Columbus ahead of their noon kickoff with Ohio State.
Elsewhere, Nebraska and Boston College departed before the stoppage, with Nebraska landing in Newark. Stanford and Virginia Tech were already at their destinations when the ground stop took effect. Michigan had flown to Eugene on Thursday, avoiding the disruption entirely.
The ACC reported all its schools are at their game sites and is reviewing the officiating situation, which sources say is manageable. Wake Forest arrived in Dallas for their early kickoff unaffected.
The Big 12 released a statement late Friday indicating they are still evaluating options, including possible schedule changes due to the travel disruption. Texas remains on hold, waiting to fly to Baton Rouge after the FAA lifted the ground stop.
Broadcasters and production crews also face challenges from the halted travel, adding another layer of complexity to the weekend’s games.
As teams and conferences sort through the logistics, the impact on player rest and potential kickoff delays remains under close watch. The SEC’s decision to push Auburn’s game kickoff time to 4:15 p.m. reflects some of the adjustments already underway, but more changes could emerge as travel plans continue to evolve.
According to CBS.
