A potential tornado watch tied to Hurricane Isaias is hanging over Saturday’s Alabama-Georgia showdown in Tuscaloosa, though both the school and the SEC have given no indication the game will move. Alabama Athletics said this week there are “currently no plans to alter the contest,” even as forecasters track a storm system that could bring heavy rain, high winds and isolated tornadoes to the region.
The matchup between No. 7 Alabama and No. 2 Georgia is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, with kickoff time reported differently across sources, either 3:30 p.m. ET or 7:30 p.m. ET. No final kickoff confirmation has been issued by the school or the SEC as of Friday afternoon.
Tornado Watch Alabama Georgia Game
Alabama Athletics said the program is monitoring weather conditions throughout the week and staying in contact with the SEC office “as needed,” according to a statement reported by USA Today. As of Wednesday night, the game remained on as scheduled in Tuscaloosa, according to Bleacher Report.
The National Weather Service projects a 70% chance of rain on Oct. 10, with showers and a possible thunderstorm likely after 2 p.m. ET, per USA Today. Bleacher Report’s forecast put the chance of rain Saturday night at 40%.
Alabama meteorologist James Spann told AL.com that moving the game is a real possibility if a Category 1 or Category 2 hurricane makes landfall near Mobile Bay, bringing wind gusts up to 50 mph, torrential rain and isolated tornadoes. “The idea of moving the game, it’s on the table. I’m saying it’s clearly on the table,” Spann said.
What It Means
Spann laid out why the timing is so complicated for the region. “We’ve got potential for a hurricane making landfall in Mobile Bay. The Alabama-Georgia game, a presidential visit, College GameDay.
You got the big (Zach Bryan) concert at Auburn. This is the National Shrimp Festival at Gulf Shores this weekend, which is huge. I mean, you could not … it’s gonna be a nightmare,” he said.
If the storm strengthens, it would be named Tropical Storm Isaias, a name that means “God is salvation.” No official SEC statement addressing contingency plans for the Georgia-Alabama game has been issued.
Other Alabama Games Already Adjusted
While Alabama-Georgia remains unchanged for now, several other programs in the state have already shifted schedules because of Hurricane Isaias. The SWAC moved Florida A&M at Alabama State from Saturday to Friday at noon ET on SWAC TV, according to Sports Illustrated.
Southern at Prairie View A&M was pushed back one hour to 4 p.m. ET on HBCU GO. The South Carolina State-Charleston Southern game moved from 6 p.m. to noon.
Alabama State also rescheduled all other homecoming events from Friday through Sunday “out of an abundance of caution.” Alabama A&M, meanwhile, said it still plans to host Bethune-Cookman in the Louis Crews Classic in Huntsville as scheduled Saturday night. The SWAC has said more changes remain possible as the storm develops.
Team Impact
Alabama enters the weekend ranked in the top seven nationally and hosts a Georgia team ranked No. 2, making it one of the marquee matchups of Week 6. Any weather-related disruption would affect a game already drawing national attention, with a reported presidential visit and College GameDay broadcast also scheduled in the area, according to Spann’s comments to AL.com.
What’s Next
No official change to the Alabama-Georgia kickoff has been announced as of Friday, Oct. 9. Alabama said it will continue monitoring conditions and coordinating with the SEC office through game day. Fans should watch for updates from Alabama Athletics and the SEC as the storm’s path becomes clearer ahead of Saturday’s scheduled kickoff. Total Apex Sports’ coverage of Alabama’s recent top-five ranking discussion and Georgia’s resume in the latest SEC resume rankings provide additional context on the stakes entering the weekend.
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