Florida classes cancelled til Wednesday and maintenance personnel are also to stay at home and return Monday. No matter what, the Gators will only have 3 1/2 days to get ready for a huge game. I copied this from their website this morning:
Assuming facilities are in playable condition, practice fields can be utilized, and roads will be cleared in time and the proper security and staffing can be present at the games — a lot to ask for following a hurricane — the Florida teams would have a maximum of four days to prepare for their respective rivalry games.
The 2001 UF-UT game was pushed back from the third week in September to Dec. 1 following the 9/11 attacks along with the rest of the league’s schedule that week; however, as such, the SEC Championship Game was also delayed an additional week back to Dec. 8.
Florida and Tennessee do not share an open date with the Gators off on Oct. 21, the week before facing Georgia, and the Volunteers off on Oct. 7. Florida and Tennessee face their permanent cross-division rivals (LSU and Alabama, respectively) on one another’s open dates, making any schedule adjustment difficult. They also do not face a nonconference opponent on a shared date.
Should the game need to be moved, a change of facility with the game still being played on Sept. 16 rather than a different date would certainly be a possibility. Considering the reduced preparation time if the game is indeed played next week and the fact that the Gators would need to travel for a “home” game for the second straight season if it is played away from Gainesville, Florida would certainly be up against some additional adversity.
UF has seen two games canceled and one game postponed due to weather in the last four seasons.
I hope they recover and injuries or hardships are minor for the community. Tennessee will also have some difficulty finding a place to stay and practice near the stadium I would think. A lot of people from South Florida evacuated to Gainesville and are being told to stay out of South Florida until emergency crews clear live power lines, debris, glass, and other hazards.
