Louisiana's first major sporting event since Hurricane Katrina devastated the state is scheduled for Saturday night. Tennessee is coming to Baton Rouge to play LSU, and although life might never be the same again, it marks an important step forward for the state. "When the Tigers take the field, everything is right in Louisiana," LSU Coach Les Miles said. But with Hurricane Rita lurking in the Gulf of Mexico, ESPN officials scrapped plans to broadcast its "GameDay" show from the LSU campus.Update: Game is now scheduled for Monday because of the threat of Hurricane Rita. Click the comments tab for details.
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Associated Press
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — LSU’s home opener has been delayed by a hurricane once again, and this time it was Rita that forced the Tigers’ game against Tennessee scheduled for Saturday to be moved to Monday night.
The Southeastern Conference made the announcement Thursday after a conference call with school officials.
The game will start at 7:30 EDT and be televised by ESPN on Monday night.
"After reviewing all of the information I felt this was the best decision for the game," SEC commissioner Mike Slive said. "The safety of our student-athletes, coaches and fans is our priority. I understand this puts a burden on LSU and its administration, however, the travel safety issues necessitate this decision."
Hurricane Rita was heading toward the Texas Gulf Coast and extreme Western Louisiana on Thursday.
LSU’s second home game against Arizona State was moved to Tempe, Ariz., because of the hurricane aftermath that turned the campus into a temporary shelter, hospital and morgue.
Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer was opposed to playing the game on Saturday, believing the conditions would be unsafe for travel.
Rita, a 400-mile-wide storm forecast to come ashore near Port Arthur, Texas, or Lake Charles, La., by late Friday or early Saturday.
The Tigers beat Arizona State 35-31 earlier this month after hurricane Katrina forced the game, originally scheduled to be played in Baton Rouge, La., to be moved to Tempe, Ariz.
The game will now be shown on ESPN2 rather than ESPN. Still scheduled for Monday night at 7:30 EDT.
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