FAA ground stop disrupts travel for multiple college football teams ahead of Week 11
A nationwide FAA flight halt forced several college football programs to alter travel plans and adjust kickoff times for Saturday's Week 11 games.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stoppage on Friday afternoon, halting all departing flights for safety reasons. The pause was lifted later that night, but many college football teams were still scrambling to confirm travel arrangements for Saturday's games. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy urged schools to contact the FAA to schedule flights and ensure games could proceed as planned.
In the SEC, Auburn was forced to take a bus to Starkville and saw its kickoff against Mississippi State moved from 12:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Alabama, already traveling by bus, was unaffected. Tennessee will fly to Texas A&M after the stop was lifted, while Ole Miss announced it would not fly to Oklahoma on Friday and is seeking a Sunday game, though Oklahoma prefers Saturday. Florida and Kentucky, as well as several other SEC matchups, remain on schedule.
Big Ten teams experienced mixed impacts: Washington and Minnesota were grounded and will adjust kickoff times, while Northwestern, Nebraska, USC, and Michigan had already arrived at their destinations.
The ACC reported that all its schools are on site, with no major travel disruptions noted.
The Big 12 is evaluating schedule changes after the stoppage. Arizona State, Baylor, and Utah have had kickoff times pushed later to accommodate delayed flights, and Kansas State remains on the tarmac, potentially facing a long bus ride to Fort Worth.
Other notable games affected include Tulane's bus trip to Houston, FAU's attempt to reach Tulsa, and Oregon State's delayed departure for Boise State, a matchup with playoff implications.
Broadcast crews and production staff are also expected to feel the effects of the ground stop, though specific details were not provided.