Following a deadly attack in New Orleans overnight, the New Year’s Day Sugar Bowl has been postponed a day.
The Notre Dame-Georgia Sugar Bowl has officially been postponed to Thursday afternoon at 4 PM ET, it was announced Wednesday, following an overnight attack in host city New Orleans wherein a man intentionally drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers. Officials are calling the attack, which per WSB killed 15 and injured more than 30, an act of terrorism.
The game was originally scheduled for its traditional post-Rose Bowl slot on New Year’s Day. The 4 PM ET start ensures that no change is necessary for the Gator Bowl, which is set for primetime on ESPN Thursday night.
The postponement was first reported by New Orleans NBC affiliate WDSU and Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB. There had been considerable uncertainty regarding the status of the Sugar Bowl, as the New Orleans police commissioner initially said the game would go on as scheduled.
There is no precedent for any game of the College Football Playoff or Bowl Championship Series being postponed from its original date. It is unusual for any playoff or championship events to be postponed for any reason outside of rain or natural disasters.
