A nationwide ground stop mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration has disrupted travel plans for numerous college football programs across the country.
However, the matchup between No. 5 Indiana and No. 14 Southern Cal will proceed as scheduled in Bloomington on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET, according to reports from the Indianapolis Star.
University officials confirmed that the USC team arrived safely in Indianapolis late Friday afternoon, maintaining their original travel itinerary.
Furthermore, an IU official stated that there is not expected to be any travel-related hold-up for the pivotal game, as noted by the Indianapolis Star.
While the Trojans avoided complications, the broader impact of the federal order has been significant for other Big Ten teams.
Purdue University has been forced to adjust its logistics by planning to bus to Iowa on Friday night to ensure they meet their 7:30 p.m. kickoff, per reporting from the Indianapolis Star.
The situation remains fluid for other programs as well.
Sources told the USA TODAY Network that the University of Washington football team was stranded at its airport in Seattle and eventually returned to campus, forcing a cancellation of their travel plans for the game against Michigan State.
Additional reports from ESPN indicate that dozens of teams have faced similar obstacles due to the ground stop, including Minnesota, which is scheduled to face Penn State on Saturday evening, as detailed by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Despite the nationwide chaos, the game in Bloomington remains unaffected by the aviation issues.
This contest serves as a critical opportunity for both teams to improve their standing in the eyes of the College Football Playoff selection committee, as reported by the Indianapolis Star.
Indiana enters the weekend looking to bounce back after sliding from No. 4 to No. 9 in the most recent weekly rankings.