College Football HQ

Sugar Bowl postponed after New Orleans car attack

College football's Sugar Bowl playoff game will be changed after a mass casualty incident in New Orleans that killed 10 people.

James Parks

This year's Sugar Bowl playoff quarterfinal game will be postponed after a terrorist attack in New Orleans.
This year's Sugar Bowl playoff quarterfinal game will be postponed after a terrorist attack in New Orleans. / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY NETWORK
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The upcoming College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl quarterfinal round game has been postponed in the wake of the deadly car attack in New Orleans the FBI is investigating as a terrorist incident.

The game will now kick off on Thursday, Jan. 2, Sugar Bowl chief executive officer Jeff Hundley confirmed, although the exact time is yet to be announced.

“As of right now, it’s only being postponed one day,” according to District Attorney of Orleans Parish Jason Williams, via ABC News.

A man drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people in the early morning hours on Wednesday in the French Quarter of New Orleans, killing 10 people and injuring 35 more.

WDSU first reported news of the postponement.

Initially, it was believed the Sugar Bowl would be played as scheduled for 8:45 p.m. Eastern on New Year’s Day, albeit with vastly increased security in the aftermath of the attack.

Authorities swept the Superdome for potential explosive devices after police said the attacker had at least one explosive with him at the time of the attack.

The status of the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame was just one of many pressing questions that arose after a person drove a vehicle into a crowd of people on Canal and Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m. local time on Wednesday morning.

Police commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said officers will work to ensure safety at the Sugar Bowl after a tragedy that New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell referred to as a “terrorist attack.”

Authorities said an Islamic State (ISIS) flag was found on the truck driven by the attacker and that two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were found and rendered safe.

There was concern that explosive devices may have been placed around the Superdome after police found at least one explosive at the scene of the car attack.

Authorities shot and killed the suspect in the attack when he got out of his truck, law enforcement officials told ABC News.

The suspect was also in possession of an assault rifle and was allegedly firing a gun while driving through the crowd, the officials added.

President Biden was briefed on the tragedy and has offered support to the city of New Orleans after talking personally with Mayor Cantrell.

“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning,” Sugar Bowl chief executive officer 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.”

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.

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