The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its nationwide ground stop for departing flights late on Friday, but the disruption left several college football teams scrambling to reschedule travel ahead of Week 11 games. The FAA had imposed the halt earlier that afternoon citing "extraordinary circumstances and reasons for safety," just as many programs were preparing to depart for road games.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy urged teams to coordinate directly with the FAA to arrange new flight times. "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 had yet to leave their home cities when the ground stop was announced, forcing them to seek alternative travel arrangements. Auburn, for example, missed its original flight and will now bus to Starkville for its game against Mississippi State. The Southeastern Conference moved that game’s kickoff back from noon to 4:15 p.m. ET to accommodate the delay.
Tennessee had planned to fly to Texas A&M Friday night and was able to proceed once the FAA lifted the stoppage. Ole Miss, however, did not reach the airport before the ban and decided against flying to Oklahoma on Friday, with a spokesperson saying the program was still exploring options for travel and game logistics.
Texas was grounded on the tarmac when the order came down. The Longhorns returned to their facilities for meetings and dinner while awaiting clearance to fly to Baton Rouge. In contrast, Alabama had opted to bus to Nashville and was unaffected by the FAA’s order.
Several SEC teams arrived before the halt, including Florida in Lexington and South Carolina in Arkansas. The conference is still assessing whether any officiating crews were impacted. A statement from the SEC Friday night said it was evaluating the situation with its member institutions.
In the Big Ten, Washington, Minnesota, and Purdue were caught by the stoppage. Purdue is now busing to Iowa City, while Minnesota plans to fly to Penn State on Saturday. Washington remains grounded in Seattle, facing a challenging journey to East Lansing. Northwestern and Michigan avoided disruption by arriving ahead of the stoppage, with Michigan having traveled to Eugene on Thursday.
The ACC reported all its schools were already at their game sites. Wake Forest landed in Dallas for its early kickoff, while Boston College and Stanford took off before the ground stop. The conference is also reviewing its officiating assignments but considers its position stable.
The Big 12 issued a statement Friday night saying it is evaluating options, including possible changes to the Week 11 schedule, as the FAA ground stop affected team travel. The conference did not specify which teams were impacted but confirmed ongoing efforts to resolve the situation.
The disruption also affected broadcast staff and on-air talent, adding complexity to an already unsettled weekend. As teams make last-minute adjustments, questions remain about player safety and adequate rest. Teams forced to travel by bus overnight or arrive late may face challenges in preparation and recovery ahead of kickoff.
The FAA’s decision to halt flights came without much notice, intensifying the logistical challenges for college football programs. While the agency has now cleared departing flights, the fallout continues to ripple through the schedules and travel plans of numerous teams across the country.
According to CBS.
