The Allstate Sugar Bowl has been rescheduled to kick off 24 hours later, at 8:45 PM ET on Thursday, following a tragic terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day that claimed 10 lives and injured up to 30 people, according to Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley.
The College Football Playoff Quarterfinal game between Georgia and Notre Dame, originally scheduled for Wednesday evening at the Caesars Superdome, was postponed after a vehicle plowed into a crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street early that morning.
The uncertainty surrounding the incident prompted the postponement of the game between the Bulldogs and the Fighting Irish, with the winner set to advance to the CFP Semifinals. According to ESPN, Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick stated that officers would prioritize ensuring safety at the Sugar Bowl following the tragic event.
“We were scheduled this evening to have a CFP quarterfinal played in the Superdome at 7:45,” Hundley said, via a joint press conference with New Orleans officials on Wednesday afternoon. “We have been in consultation with ESPN, with the College Football Playoff, with the Southeastern Conference, with the University of Georgia, with Notre Dame, and all parties agree it’s in the best interests of everybody and public safety that we postpone the game for for 24 hours.
“Work is fast about to set up a safe and efficient and fun environment for tomorrow night. There will be more details on that in the coming hours, but for now that’s the plan. We’re going to move forward and play the game.”
Authorities reportedly conducted a sweep of the Caesars Superdome following the incident, searching for explosive devices out of an abundance of caution. Meanwhile, both Notre Dame and Georgia teams sheltered in place at their respective hotels for much of Wednesday afternoon.
According to ESPN, law enforcement officials informed ABC News that the male driver responsible for the attack was shot and killed by police after exiting his truck. The perpetrator was reportedly armed with an assault rifle and had allegedly been firing his weapon while driving through the crowd.
“He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” Kirkpatrick said, via ESPN. “It was very intentional behavior. This man was trying to run over as many people as he could.”
Additionally, President Biden has been briefed on the incident and has contacted Mayor LaToya Cantrell to offer support, as reported by the White House through ABC News. The tragic event has deeply shaken both New Orleans and the world on New Year’s Day, and thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this senseless crime in Louisiana.
