FAA nationwide ground stop disrupts college football and NFL travel

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday afternoon, halting flights across the United States and disrupting travel for college football teams and NFL squads ahead of weekend games.

College football teams affected

According to OutKick, multiple college football teams were looking for alternative travel options, including Texas, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Washington, Minnesota, Baylor, Tulane, Auburn, Arizona State, and Oregon State.

Texas had boarded its plane in Austin for Baton Rouge ahead of Saturday’s game against LSU but had not taken off when the ground stop was issued. Tennessee was scheduled to depart McGee Tyson Airport in Knoxville at 4 p.m. ET but was unable to get into the air. Utah was grounded in Salt Lake City before its scheduled departure for Arizona.

Some teams had already departed, including USC, which was in the air en route to Bloomington for its game against Indiana. Alabama traveled by bus to Nashville for its game against Vanderbilt, and Auburn was considering a bus trip to Starkville to face Mississippi State.

NFL teams face uncertainty

The New York Post reported that the Rams are scheduled to fly to Arizona on Saturday afternoon for Sunday’s 1:05 p.m. PT kickoff against the Cardinals in Glendale. If the grounding remains in effect, the approximately 390-mile journey could require a six-to-seven-hour charter bus drive under favorable traffic conditions. No contingency plan has been announced by the Rams.

The 49ers are scheduled to fly to Dallas on Saturday, while the Chargers must travel to Baltimore for Monday night’s matchup against the Ravens. The Seahawks could face travel complications for their game against the Raiders. Other teams, including Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, Minnesota to Green Bay, and Buffalo to New Jersey for the Jets game, have drives of roughly 300 miles or less.

The NFL has not announced any schedule changes. A league spokesman said, “It’s too early. We could address the issue at the appropriate time, if necessary.”

Why it matters

• The ground stop is reportedly only the second nationwide stoppage since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
• U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the shutdown about 1:15 p.m. PT, citing a communications issue affecting air traffic control centers across the country.
• FAA technicians are investigating the issue, and the situation remains fluid.

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Sources

• foxnews.com: FAA ground stop leaves College Football teams stranded on eve of crucial Saturday showdowns | OutKick
• nypost.com: How FAA flight disaster may impact NFL Sunday

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.