Today’s Sugar Bowl college football matchup between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish has been postponed for until Thursday afternoon, according to game organizers. Kickoff will now take place at 4 p.m. eastern and the game will be televised on ESPN.
As Deadline reports, the College Football Playoff game, scheduled for tonight at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, was delayed hours after the deadly carnage visited upon that city earlier this morning.
“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning,” Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available.”
The winner of the game will advance to the College Football Playoff semifinal.
The Georgia athletic department issued a lengthier statement, saying: “We are deeply saddened by the senseless violence that occurred in New Orleans. All team personnel and members of the official team travel party have been accounted for. Currently, we are in contact with local law enforcement as well as representatives from the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff and are continuing to gather more information. Our prayers are with all those who traveled here for the Sugar Bowl and entire New Orleans community.”
University of Georgia president Jere W. Morehead did confirm that one Georgia student, in town to watch the game, was critically injured and is currently receiving medical treatment.
Notre Dame officials also said they are “working with law enforcement and others to determine the full scope and impact of the tragedy.” No one associated with the school’s team has been reported injured.
At least 10 people were killed in the gruesome 3:15 a.m. attack on New Year’s revelers in New Orleans’ French Quarter when a man, who is being investigated as a potential terrorist, drove his vehicle into a crowd. In addition to the immediate fatalities, at least 35 people were injured, some critically.
The driver of the vehicle was shot and killed by police after he began firing on officers from his truck.
(This story has been updated with a revised kickoff time for the game on Thursday.)
