Officials discussing contingency plans for Florida/Goober game

[MJWilliamson]

If Saturday's 3:30 p.m. kickoff between Tennessee and Florida can't take place at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla., one possible alternate location could be Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, sources told GoVols247.

With Hurricane Irma bearing down on the Florida panhandle, scheduled to make landfall early Sunday morning and move up the panhandle into Monday, officials have discussed the new stadium in Atlanta as a likely alternative should the game need a new location.

Officials want to make a decision on the game by Tuesday. After last season's Florida-LSU postponement, a new rule allows SEC commissioner Greg Sankey to make the final call on weather-related schedule changes.

Atlanta United, Atlanta's MLS franchise, is currently scheduled to play at 4 p.m. Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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Tennessee opened its season with a 42-41 double-overtime win over Georgia Tech in a Chick-fil-A Kickoff game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday.

The Falcons host the Green Bay Packers for an 8:30 p.m. Sunday Night Football kickoff on Sept. 17, giving stadium officials added turnaround time should the Vols and Gators end up in Atlanta.

Florida lost to Michigan 33-17 in its season-opener at AT&T Stadium last week and had Saturday's home-opener against Norther Colorado cancelled due to the impending super storm.

According to sources, it would be Tennessee's preference to not host the Gators at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, which would in turn mean playing at Florida two seasons in a row to get the home-and-home rivalry back on schedule.

It would also leave Tennessee with back-to-back road SEC games at Florida and Georgia next season and only six home games on schedule.

Last season Florida's October home game with LSU was postponed as a precaution with Hurricane Matthew looming. The game was eventually played at LSU on Nov. 19 after being rescheduled by the SEC.

Remaining schedules for the two teams wouldn't allow a postponement of the game without the SEC Championship being moved back a week.

Tennessee's bye week is Oct. 7, the same day Florida hosts LSU. The Gators have a bye week on Oct. 21, when the Vols play at Alabama.

Non-conference schedules don't line up either, with Tennessee playing Southern Miss on Nov. 4, when Florida plays at Missouri, and the Gators playing UAB on Nov. 18, when the Vols host LSU at Neyland Stadium.

 

[Gator Fever]

Gainesville wont get anymore than TS conditions sustained winds if it comes up through Naples. No reason to move the Tenn game from Gainesville.

We should have played the game this week Friday night.

 

[MJWilliamson]

Gainesville wont get anymore than TS conditions sustained winds if it comes up through Naples. No reason to move the Tenn game from Gainesville.

Gainesville might not be the problem. The roads and conditions south and west of there might be the problem

 

[Gator Fever]

Gainesville might not be the problem. The roads and conditions south and west of there might be the problem

In the past we played them with other parts of FL messed up. No reason imo to give up that home field if hurricane conditions don't strike Gainesville itself and I mean real hurricane sustained wind conditions not this doom porn nonsense the news people are hyping about wind gusts.

 

[kb851]

Well, we would hate to inconvenience the Tennessee people with having to face the immense burden of back to back road games next season.

When we are trying to facilitate doing something in the wake of the worst hurricane to ever hit Florida, a potentially devastated Gainesville region, losses of lives and more.

But...back to back road games, THAT is a burden that should make any administrator or massive pussy very edgy.

 

[ocalaman]

Gainesville wont get anymore than TS conditions sustained winds if it comes up through Naples. No reason to move the Tenn game from Gainesville.

We should have played the game this week Friday night.

You are an idiot, man. The Keys were ordered evacuated Tuesday, Dade & Broward counties had mandatory evacuations ordered Wednesday. I-75, the turnpike and all major roads were like parking lots by Friday morning. Gas stations were running out and motels were booked all the way to Atlanta. UF made an initial mistake just moving the game to noon Saturday. There was NO WAY that game could have or should have been set for Friday. You don't schedule a damn football game when life threatening situations are affecting an entire state! I live 40 miles south of Gainesville and we will be on the NE, then SE side of the eye where the worst of a hurricane is felt. They are telling us to expect Tropical force winds to start around 3 pm and last until late Monday afternoon, possibly into Tuesday early am. From around midnight tonight until 9 am we are expecting sustained winds of 70-90 mph with gusts over 100 mph. That's Cat 1, sometimes cat 2 conditions. There are already 1 million people without power in the state and it could reach 10 million without power by Monday morning and we are being told some could be without power for 7-10 days. They just don't have the manpower to deal with that much power loss. Just because the storm will be gone by Tuesday, there is going to be a mess left behind and recovery can't and won't be done in a couple of days. I appreciate MJ's post and the news makes sense. Moving the UT game to Atlanta may not only be possible, it may be the only viable answer. I think Gator Fever might not quite be aware yet of how massive and dangerous Irma is and how it's swallowing the whole state. Even Cat 1 & 2 conditions, when spread out this long and affecting the entire population, can be devastating. And the Keys and South Florida are getting it even worse. I've lived in Florida since 1959, been through numerous hurricanes and this is the biggest and baddest of them all, affecting the most people by far. Who cares when and if a football game is scheduled right now? Those who do are either clueless or just plain stupid!

 

[hardliner]

Gainesville might not be the problem. The roads and conditions south and west of there might be the problem

Why can't people understand this? People might not even have power for a week or more. FSU's campus is closing all week and I imagine UF will too. Expecting a game with 90k people and all the police and authorities that entails to take place is absurd.

 

[MJWilliamson]

Why can't people understand this? People might not even have power for a week or more. FSU's campus is closing all week and I imagine UF will too. Expecting a game with 90k people and all the police and authorities that entails to take place is absurd.

Dumb asses everywhere I guess.

 

[sadgator]

Really hope we can play in Gainesville. It would suck to go on the road or neutral site this weekend.

There is no set playbook for these events, you just have to deal with what gets thrown at you. Over the past two years, UF had made exceptional calls in how they have reacted to these events, ISO. He expects nothing less this time around.

 

[Gator Fever]

You are an idiot, man. The Keys were ordered evacuated Tuesday, Dade & Broward counties had mandatory evacuations ordered Wednesday. I-75, the turnpike and all major roads were like parking lots by Friday morning. Gas stations were running out and motels were booked all the way to Atlanta. UF made an initial mistake just moving the game to noon Saturday. There was NO WAY that game could have or should have been set for Friday. You don't schedule a damn football game when life threatening situations are affecting an entire state! I live 40 miles south of Gainesville and we will be on the NE, then SE side of the eye where the worst of a hurricane is felt. They are telling us to expect Tropical force winds to start around 3 pm and last until late Monday afternoon, possibly into Tuesday early am. From around midnight tonight until 9 am we are expecting sustained winds of 70-90 mph with gusts over 100 mph. That's Cat 1, sometimes cat 2 conditions. There are already 1 million people without power in the state and it could reach 10 million without power by Monday morning and we are being told some could be without power for 7-10 days. They just don't have the manpower to deal with that much power loss. Just because the storm will be gone by Tuesday, there is going to be a mess left behind and recovery can't and won't be done in a couple of days. I appreciate MJ's post and the news makes sense. Moving the UT game to Atlanta may not only be possible, it may be the only viable answer. I think Gator Fever might not quite be aware yet of how massive and dangerous Irma is and how it's swallowing the whole state. Even Cat 1 & 2 conditions, when spread out this long and affecting the entire population, can be devastating. And the Keys and South Florida are getting it even worse. I've lived in Florida since 1959, been through numerous hurricanes and this is the biggest and baddest of them all, affecting the most people by far. Who cares when and if a football game is scheduled right now? Those who do are either clueless or just plain stupid!

No one from down south would have been heading back they would have watched the game and then headed north where they were going Friday night anyway if they weren't staying put. That is just PC talk. It wouldn't have added much to traffic at all - the stadium would have just been half full if they had it on Friday night from having mostly people around that area or north of there.

They are letting these news guys that sensationalize crap with fake BS about the whole state getting Cat 1 sustained conditions even across to the other coast etc. if this thing goes up the coast and all that other nonsense. The areas really destroyed are the areas near the eye and a ways inland. I doubt much of the state even gets Cat 1 sustained winds let alone the whole state like those clowns tried to tell everyone.

They had no problem playing Kentucky in Gainesville in 2004 the day prior to Jeanne destroying my town in Florida. I had no problem with that. And that was after another Cat 3 hit us just a few weeks prior.

 

[Gator Fever]

Really hope we can play in Gainesville. It would suck to go on the road or neutral site this weekend.

There is no set playbook for these events, you just have to deal with what gets thrown at you. Over the past two years, UF had made exceptional calls in how they have reacted to these events, ISO. He expects nothing less this time around.

We will be able to unless they cancel because of other parts of the state.

In the past there was a playbook - you play the game if Gainesville itself isn't in immediate danger from the storm or got destroyed by it..

 

[Challis1]

Just need to move sec championship back another week, if needed lol

 

[ocalaman]

No one from down south would have been heading back they would have watched the game and then headed north where they were going Friday night anyway if they weren't staying put. That is just PC talk. It wouldn't have added much to traffic at all - the stadium would have just been half full if they had it on Friday night from having mostly people around that area or north of there.

They are letting these news guys that sensationalize crap with fake BS about the whole state getting Cat 1 sustained conditions even across to the other coast etc. if this thing goes up the coast and all that other nonsense. The areas really destroyed are the areas near the eye and a ways inland. I doubt much of the state even gets Cat 1 sustained winds let alone the whole state like those clowns tried to tell everyone.

They had no problem playing Kentucky in Gainesville in 2004 the day prior to Jeanne destroying my town in Florida. I had no problem with that. And that was after another Cat 3 hit us just a few weeks prior.

You are a total and complete moron.

 

[MJWilliamson]

Got to agree with ocalaman.

 

[kb851]

Millions of Floridian without power and thousands of Naples residents who would have drowned absent early warnings call bullcrap on the trolls.

Thanks goodness for Cuba, notwithstanding the detestation to them, for draining some of the life out of Irma. Unfortunately she still has enough life to devastate the Miami area, the Keys, Naples...and even with less energy, to still wreak havoc on the rest.

To imagine we are thankful that we will only likely be without power for a week. Atlanta out of school tomorrow then Birmingham and Memphis get to play in the wind and rain. What a monster storm, and thank goodness the eye was affected enough to keep it from Katrina levels.

 

[Gator Fever]

You are a total and complete moron.

Nope but keep up the PC talk. This game should be played just like the other one on Friday. Gainesville can handle this game Saturday. Hopefully UF is added to the "moron" list Saturday by playing the game there.

 

[GoFish2]

Nope but keep up the PC talk. This game should be played just like the other one on Friday. Gainesville can handle this game Saturday. Hopefully UF is added to the "moron" list Saturday by playing the game there.

Nope, you're still a complete moron.

 

[oozie7]

Nope but keep up the PC talk. This game should be played just like the other one on Friday. Gainesville can handle this game Saturday. Hopefully UF is added to the "moron" list Saturday by playing the game there.

Dude something like 6 million people in Florida are without power. Cleanup efforts haven't even fully started yet. You think they're considering cancelling the game just to be PC? What?

 

[Gator Fever]

Nope, you're still a complete moro

Nope, you're still a complete moron.

n.

Nope but your name can be added to the moron list along with whoever cancels this game if they do.

That power number will be way down by Thursday. Heck they listed my town all power out basically and now the big majority already have it back on. Some having power off never stopped them years ago from having the game. Heck i loved watching the game in 04 after getting my Second Cat 3 hit in 3 weeks the day after the game. Gave me something to break the stress for that 3 hours.

 

[MJWilliamson]

The game will be played on Steve Spurrier/Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

 

[gatorchiz]

Nope but your name can be added to the moron list along with whoever cancels this game if they do.

That power number will be way down by Thursday. Heck they listed my town all power out basically and now the big majority already have it back on. Some having power off never stopped them years ago from having the game. Heck i loved watching the game in 04 after getting my Second Cat 3 hit in 3 weeks the day after the game. Gave me something to break the stress for that 3 hours.

 

[gatorchiz]

Game On!!!!!!!

 

[TennesseeGator]

Game on!

Get yourself off the hot seat Jimmy Mc. Put the gasoline on Butch's pants. Muschamp never lost to the guy, don't lose another one. Have the troops lined up and prepared for a battle. No excuses.

Go Gators!

 

[miksta]

Nope but keep up the PC talk.

Maybe the most bizarre and strained usage of "PC" I've ever seen.

 

[Gator Fever]

Yes the game is on!!!

 

[Gator Fever]

Maybe the most bizarre and strained usage of "PC" I've ever seen.

I call it PC because they let the appearance of something affect decisions in recent years. It wasnt even hardly a question if that KY game was going to happen in 04 after the 2 Cat 3s.

 

[TennesseeGator]

I call it PC because they let the appearance of something affect decisions in recent years. It wasnt even hardly a question if that KY game was going to happen in 04 after the 2 Cat 3s.

Sometimes people learn from past mistakes.

LSU always bragged they played after Katrina and Rita. Saw the best reply ever on a message board. "You have government officials and Red Cross begging and pleading for drinking water, couple hundred miles up the road you have 90 plus Football players in two different sidelines chugging water and Gatorade and spitting half of it out...nice priorities"


But this game is ready to go. Playing last weekend would have been stupid. Please save your grace and quit talking about what happened 13 years ago.

 

[bmbritt]

Really curious how Gainesville is going to be able to host a major SEC football game. There is still power outages throughout the city that are supposed to be fixed by Sunday. I imagine that the hotels are still booked with folks from down in south FL so kicking them out of their rooms will either be a PR nightmare or won't happen. Gas is still a rare commodity throughout the state. Have a feeling this decision to play in Gainesville is going to be a cluster **** and UF and SEC commish will get roasted.

 

[sadgator]

It is a strange atmosphere down here. Gas in short supply, schools closed in Brevard until further notice, power out to over 50% of county, traffic lights down, lots of businesses still closed, tons of debris....and officials teling residents to stay off roads. sadgator understands playing the game, but he will be surprised if the crowd is its "normal" self for this game.

 

[Gator Fever]

I think Gainesville wlll be fine to host the game then as a bunch of people have headed back south already. FPL had 4.5 million out of power originally and that number is less than 2 million now as of this morning and going down quickly. Gas is available in a lot of areas now also. There will be some empty seats due to some people wanting to deal with things at home but I think it may end up being 2/3 full or more. They out to have some deal where a local can attend real cheap if there are quite a few no shows and available tickets.

 

[TennesseeGator]

Really curious how Gainesville is going to be able to host a major SEC football game. There is still power outages throughout the city that are supposed to be fixed by Sunday. I imagine that the hotels are still booked with folks from down in south FL so kicking them out of their rooms will either be a PR nightmare or won't happen. Gas is still a rare commodity throughout the state. Have a feeling this decision to play in Gainesville is going to be a cluster **** and UF and SEC commish will get roasted.

Bucs vs Bears and Jags vs Titans are still playing.

Miami and FSU shared an open date to reschedule in October.

 

[MJWilliamson]

Portions of I-75 might soon be closed due to the Sante Fe River flooding. It will not peak till Friday. The game location is once again in doubt.