Hurricane Ian To Make Landfall In Florida, Could Affect Several HBCU Football Games

September 27, 2022

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Update (September 29, 11:00 AM EST): Hurricane Ian has made landfall in Florida, according to reports from both CNN and The Weather Channel. It has bene downgraded to a Tropical Storm. NBC News reports that winds are 65 MPH and 2.5 million Floridians are without power. The storm will continue to move through Florida before heading towards the coast of South Carolina on Friday.

In preparation for the storm several HBCUs in North & South Carolina have moved up their games from Saturday to Thursday, joining South Carolina State & the University of South Carolina, who will be playing their game this evening at 7 PM. The games rescheduled to today are as follows:

Fayetteville State vs. Chowan (7 PM EST)
Elizabeth City vs. Johnson C. Smith (7 PM EST)

With great disappointment, we announce all university-sanctioned homecoming activities will be canceled after noon on Friday, September 30. For more informationhttps://t.co/GHUdJvOASa pic.twitter.com/gUnPtpwBBs

— WSSU (@WSSURAMS) September 28, 2022

Winston Salem State University, who is observing their Homecoming this week, has canceled all university-sanctioned homecoming events scheduled after noon on Friday, September 30th. The Winston-Salem State University vs. Lincoln University of Pennsylvania homecoming game has been cancelled and not been rescheduled at this time.

We will continue to update you as more news comes out.

Update (September 27, 2:21 PM EST): Due to the looming threat of Hurricane Ian as it crosses into Florida, Fox 8 News reports that the South Carolina State University vs. University Of South Carolina Game has been moved up the Thursday at 7 PM EST. The game was initially scheduled to be played on Saturday at 12 PM.

“Due to the potential impact of the hurricane on Columbia and the surrounding area, it is in the best interest of safety to play the game on Thursday rather than Saturday afternoon,” South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner said in a statment. “I appreciate the cooperation of South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough, the South Carolina State administration and the Southeastern Conference officials who worked closely to make the appropriate operational adjustments in order to accommodate this change in the schedule.”

We will continue to update this story as more information on how Hurricane Ian will affect other football contests comes out.

Hurricane Ian strengthened early Tuesday into a Category 3 storm as it travels toward Florida and Cuba.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the hurricane hit southwest of the town of La Coloma, in the Pinar Del Rio province in western Cuba, around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday with winds of 125 mph. It is expected to grow before making landfall in Tampa Bay by late Wednesday or early Thursday.

“On the forecast track, the center of Ian is expected to emerge over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico in a couple of hours, pass west of the Florida Keys later today, and approach the west coast of Florida within the hurricane warning area on Wednesday and Wednesday night,” NHC forecasters said.

Several HBCUs in cities that will be affected by the hurricane have released statements and safety plans. Florida A&M University, located in Tallahassee, recently announced campus closures and events ahead of Hurricane Ian, with the possibility of the football game against Mississippi Valley State University being canceled. Bethune-Cookman, located in Daytona Beach, mandated an evacuation of all students, faculty, staff and alumni and continued learning via virtual instruction.

Albany State University, located in South Georgia, and Fort Valley State University, located in Middle Georgia, have not released official statements or plans concerning the forthcoming turbulent weather to be caused by Ian. Fort Valley State University is currently celebrating their Homecoming and will face Benedict College on Saturday at 2 PM EST.

Below are football games that could be affected by Hurricane Ian: