The college football landscape faces significant uncertainty this weekend as a nationwide FAA ground stop disrupts team travel schedules across the country.
The “Big 12 Conference is evaluating potential changes to Saturday’s football schedule” due to the ongoing crisis, the league announced Friday.
The conference stated it will continue to monitor the situation alongside its member institutions to provide necessary updates for upcoming games, according to “Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA officials confirmed that a communications and router failure caused the system-wide outage, which resulted in more than 10,000 flight delays and 4,000 cancellations.
Authorities have stated there is currently no evidence that the event was caused by a cyberattack.
The travel chaos has forced several programs to seek alternative transportation methods, with Purdue reportedly opting to bus to Iowa to ensure their participation, as noted by “local reports.”
Other programs, including Texas, Tennessee, and Utah, are also facing potential logistical hurdles, per “ClutchPoints.”
Specifically, Utah has already canceled its Friday flight to Arizona for the upcoming matchup against the Wildcats, according to “recent reports.”
The Big 12 currently has seven games on its Saturday schedule, including pivotal matchups like Baylor at No. 10 BYU and No. 2 Utah at No. 23 Arizona.
These contests are critical for postseason aspirations, as BYU looks to secure a playoff spot while other teams like Arizona State and UCF attempt to improve their standings.
Officials continue to monitor the situation as the industry works to resolve the technical failure.
Further developments are expected as the conference determines if the current schedule remains viable for all participating teams.