• Loading stock data...
Thursday, September 18, 2025

Sugar Bowl to Proceed Despite Louisiana AG’s Desire for Delay

Despite calls from Louisiana’s attorney general to delay it further, the Sugar Bowl will be played Thursday, and its full slate of pregame events will begin at noon ET.

Jan 1, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Fans line at the front desk of the Sheraton hotel after the Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal between Georgia and Notre Dame was postponed after an attack on Bourbon Street.
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Sugar Bowl was postponed a full day following a deadly attack in the early hours of New Year’s Day on Bourbon Street on Wednesday. On Thursday morning, the Sugar Bowl announced a new schedule of pregame festivities beginning at noon, leading up to kickoff at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday—despite vocalized concerns from Louisiana’s attorney general.

The game, featuring a College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup between Notre Dame and Georgia, was originally slated for 8:45 p.m. ET on New Year’s Day in the Caesars Superdome, but it was postponed after a white Ford pickup truck rammed through Bourbon Street early Wednesday, a popular tourist destination filled with partygoers celebrating the new year, killing at least 15 and injuring dozens.

On Wednesday night, Louisiana attorney general Liz Murrill told NBC that she would’ve preferred the Sugar Bowl be delayed at least another day. “You know, it’s not my decision, but I would like to see it delayed at least another day,” she said. “If they asked my opinion, I would tell them that I think it was a wise decision to delay it at least a day.” But in its press release, the Sugar Bowl said that the game-time decision had been made in conjunction with federal, state, and local officials, as well as college football administrators. 

Front Office Sports has reached out to the attorney general’s office for clarification.

Sugar Bowl officials said in a press release Wednesday night that safety resources normally available for the game were preoccupied with the fallout from the attack, and that the postponement would “maintain the typical standards of a major event in the Caesars Superdome.”

The FBI is investigating the incident as an act of terror, and said in a statement that it found the flag of ISIS, as well as several explosives. The driver, identified as 42-year-old U.S. citizen Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was killed in a shootout with police. Local officials also said that explosives had been placed throughout the French Quarter and that detonation specialists spent the day Wednesday sweeping the area—another potential reason for the game’s postponement.

Despite Murrill’s concerns, however, the game is on. 

On Wednesday night, photos and videos on social media showed the Georgia team leaving its hotel, boarding buses to a closed walk-through practice.

ESPN adjusted its schedule to accommodate the new kickoff time, by moving the entire game megacast to Thursday afternoon. As part of the shuffle, the Gator Bowl between Duke and Ole Miss, taking place in Jacksonville, will be postponed 30 minutes from 7:30 p.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET to accommodate the Sugar Bowl.

ESPN announced its full team will be available for the game, and a spokesperson told Front Office Sports on Wednesday that all talent and crew members were safe and accounted for following the attack. 

It’s still somewhat unclear what game day will look like on the ground, however.

Because of the postponement, fans would have had to stay at least one more night, purchasing extra hotel rooms and moving flight reservations. On social media, reports emerged Thursday morning of fans clad in both Georgia and Notre Dame gear at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, presumably choosing to skip the game altogether.

The Sugar Bowl made a thread on X/Twitter on Wednesday night with updates for game day, appearing to suggest all pregame festivities, like the “Tailgate Town” event outside the Superdome, would take place in addition to the matchup. 

The Sugar Bowl has not made announcements for specific enhanced security for game time, but CEO Jeff Hundley said Wednesday: “We have full faith and confidence in the governor and the mayor and all the federal, state, and local first responders. … 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. 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.”

During a news conference Wednesday, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry assured fans that the Sugar Bowl would be safe to attend—saying he knew because he would be there. “The facility is safer today than it was yesterday,” he told reporters.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

$3.8 Billion Commanders Stadium Deal Approved Despite Late Drama

A decisive final vote on the stadium followed some last-minute snags.

Netflix Boxing Ratings Spark New Fight Over Streaming Metrics

The streamer used a non-accredited process to measure the boxing match.
Donald Trump
exclusive

Trump’s Unprecedented Super Bowl Visit Cost Secret Service More Than $120K

Trump was the first president to attend the Super Bowl.

CFB TV Ratings Stay Hot As Georgia-Tennessee Sets ABC High of 12.6M

ABC has had four games that have topped 10 million viewers this season.

Featured Today

Premier Lacrosse League

‘The Circus Is Coming to Town’: Why Upstart Leagues Start on Tour

In their ambitious plans, a traveling schedule is only temporary.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: A detailed view of the MLB Debut patch on the jersey of Patrick Monteverde #44 of the Miami Marlins prior to game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
September 13, 2025

The Tiny Jersey Patch at the Center of the MLB Rookie Card..

Autographed cards containing a piece of baseball history have upended the market.
September 11, 2025

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
September 10, 2025

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.
Sep 13, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back AK Dear (0) tries to outrun Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Ricardo Hallman (2) during the second half at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Despite Vote Delay, SCORE Act Negotiations Continue on Capitol Hill

Political ad campaigns during college football Saturdays continue as well.
Sep 12, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) looks to pass during the first quarter against the New Mexico Lobos at Rose Bowl.
September 15, 2025

UCLA-Tennessee QB Trade Has Been Painful So Far

Iamaleava abruptly left Tennessee for UCLA this past offseason.
Sep 12, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; New Mexico Lobos quarterback Jack Layne (2) reacts after his team scored a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl.
September 15, 2025

UCLA Paid New Mexico $1.2 Million for Friday’s Loss: Payout Game Tracker

The Bruins weren’t the only Power-4 school to lose a buy game and fire their coach.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
September 14, 2025

College Football’s Costly Start for Virginia Tech, UCLA: Coaches Out

UCLA and Virginia Tech fire their coaches while Notre Dame slumps badly.
Mar 4, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., speaks with Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., ahead of President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4, 2025.
September 11, 2025

House Republicans Delay SCORE Act Vote Tentatively Planned for Next Week

They didn’t believe they had enough votes to pass the bill.
Jan 25, 2023; Langley, British Columbia, CAN; Highlights from the CHL Kubota Top Prospects game at the Langley Events Centre
September 10, 2025

NCAA Hockey Scouts Denied Passes for Crucial Recruiting League

The CHL won’t welcome scouts on passes: “It comes across as petty.”
Feb 17, 2024; Boise, Idaho, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs guard Jalen Weaver (5) during the first half against the Boise State Broncos at ExtraMile Arena.
September 10, 2025

NCAA Bans 3 Basketball Players for Violating Betting Rules Last Season

The former San Jose State and Fresno State players have lost eligibility.