A nationwide ground stop enacted on Friday afternoon resulted in the stranding of multiple college football teams as all departing flights were suspended. This sudden halt in air travel created significant disruption ahead of the weekend’s games.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented the ground stop around 3 p.m. due to a communication and technology issue, as explained by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. After several hours of delays, the ground stop was lifted at approximately 7:15 p.m.
While some Texas teams managed to depart on time or opted for bus travel—such as North Texas heading to San Antonio for their matchup against UTSA—others, including Kansas State, Texas, and Tennessee, faced considerable uncertainty regarding their travel plans.
Reports indicated that Kansas State planned to hold an evening meeting after it became apparent that driving to Fort Worth would not be feasible. The team is now expected to attempt flying out on Saturday for their game against TCU, scheduled for 1 p.m.
The Texas Longhorns, who were meant to travel to Louisiana for their game against LSU, and the Tennessee Volunteers, stuck in Tennessee ahead of their upcoming clash against Texas A&M, both sought to leave on Friday night amid the travel disruptions.
In contrast, Texas Tech successfully departed Friday morning before the air travel halt, touching down in Stillwater ahead of their game against Oklahoma State. Similarly, Wake Forest, the opponent for SMU, also managed to arrive without delay.
As the situation unfolded, numerous college teams across the nation grappled with the impact of the ground stop. Some teams from the Big 12 conference adjusted their plans to fly out on Saturday.
The potential effect on game start times remains uncertain. During a press briefing, Secretary Duffy encouraged football teams to coordinate with the FAA to ensure smooth travel arrangements to facilitate the timely commencement of their games.
Notably, some games have already been rescheduled, including Baylor’s contest against BYU, which was moved from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. This situation continues to evolve, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
