Travel disruptions caused by the Federal Aviation Administration's nationwide ground stop Friday have forced a change to the start time for Auburn's road matchup against Mississippi State on Saturday.
The Southeastern Conference announced that the Tigers and Bulldogs game will now kickoff at 3:15 p.m CT at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi. The contest was initially scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. CT start and air on ESPN2, but its television network is now undetermined.
The FAA grounded flights across the country at approximately 3 p.m. because of a telecommunications outage. The stoppage remained in effect until around 7:30 p.m., creating travel complications for several college football programs preparing for Saturday's games.
The Tigers were among the teams affected by the disruption as they were unable to depart from Columbus Airport in Georgia before the ground stop took effect. Instead of waiting for flights to resume, the team traveled by bus to Tupelo, Mississippi, where it eventually reached its hotel late Friday night.
The revised schedule also affects arrangements at Davis Wade Stadium. Stadium gates will now open at 1:15 p.m., while discounted concession prices on selected items through the “Dawg Deals” promotion will be available between 1:15 and 2:45 p.m. Auburn Sports Network radio coverage will begin at 12:15 p.m. CT.
Article Continues BelowSaturday's contest will be the first meeting between the programs since 2023 following the SEC's expansion. The Bulldogs enter the matchup with a 4-5 overall record and a 2-5 mark in conference play, while Auburn sits at 5-4 overall and 3-4 in the SEC.
Mississippi State, led by head coach Jeff Lebby, is attempting to end a five-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Tigers head coach Alex Golesh will look to guide Auburn toward bowl eligibility following last week's win over Arkansas.