Hail Florida Hail
Fansided

Florida football: Scott Stricklin gives Hurricane Ian update for Gators

By Benjamin Henderson

GAINESVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 13: A general view of the sign saying This is..The Swamp during the game between the Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 13: A general view of the sign saying This is..The Swamp during the game between the Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

With Tropical Storm Ian, soon to become a hurricane, fast approaching the Sunshine State there is reason to wonder whether Florida football will even get to take on Eastern Washington this Saturday inside The Swamp.

Gators’ Athletic Director Scott Stricklin gave an update today on the status of the game and what the storm means for this weekend.

Florida football: The game is on, for now

In a Tweet put out today, Stricklin said that Saturday’s game is still scheduled to be played.

"“Currently, Saturday’s football game between UF-Eastern Washington is scheduled as planned. The UAA is working with campus, local & state officials to closely monitor Hurricane Ian and its potential impact on Gainesville and the surrounding communities.”"

As it stands right now the brunt of the storm won’t hit Gainesville directly and the storm should be gone by the time Saturday rolls around for the scheduled Noon kickoff.

But that doesn’t mean it’s all systems go for Florida football this weekend. There are several factors that could force the Gators to call off the contest:

  • Police units could be called to other areas of the state to assist with rescue and clean-up, leaving operations in The Swamp bare.
  • Eastern Washington has to fly across the country and the storm could be in the area on Friday, leaving them with nowhere to land.
  • Many Gator players from Florida’s east coast may have their minds on helping their families and may not want to suit up on Saturday.
  • Depending on the storm track for the next 48 hours, it may not be appropriate to play if half of Florida is under water.

This wouldn’t be the first time Florida has had to postpone or cancel a game due to the weather, and there isn’t a good spot on the calendar for both teams to have a makeup game.

Notably in 2016 Florida football postponed their contest against LSU due to Hurricane Matthew. That led to lots of bickering, but it also led to the infamous goal-line stand.

Keep up with all things Florida football with Hail Florida Hail.

Home/Florida Gators Football