The Allstate Sugar Bowl has been postponed following a terrorist attack, which left at least 10 people dead and approximately 35 injured, in New Orleans early Wednesday morning.
Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley said the game would be delayed during a news conference on Wednesday afternoon. The Sugar Bowl later announced the game would be played at 3 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPN.
“Any time we have an event like the Sugar Bowl, public safety is paramount, and all parties involved agree that could only be achieved with a postponement,” Hundley said in a statement. “Now we will move ahead to take care of the details to make the Sugar Bowl the first-class, fun, and safe event that it has been for over 90 years.”
University of Georgia and Notre Dame fans flocked to New Orleans this week ahead of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal originally scheduled for 8:45 p.m. Officials said the majority of the victims were local residents, rather than tourists in town for the holiday or the game.
A man intentionally drove around police barricades and struck and killed several people. The man crashed and was killed in a shootout with officers, according to the FBI.
In a statement, UGA said they were asking anyone located on Bourbon, Canal and St. Ann streets to shelter in place. University president Jere W. Morehead said in a statement that a UGA student was critically injured in the attack. No additional details were provided about the student.
The UGA Athletic Association said all team personnel and members of the official team travel party were accounted for and were in contact with College Football Playoff and Sugar Bowl representatives. The UGA Redcoat Band said in a social media post that all students and staff were safe.
University of Notre Dame officials said they were working with law enforcement and others to determine the full scope and impact of the tragedy and urged people to avoid the area of Bourbon Street. Notre Dame athletics said all football team personnel had been accounted for. They also asked fans to join in prayer.
Earlier in the day, the Caesars Superdome, which is about a mile from the scene of the attack, was on lockdown for security sweeps and people who worked at the stadium were told not to come into work until further notice, The Associated Press reported.
The Superdome will also host the Super Bowl on Feb. 9.
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