Georgia Southern delayed the start of game-day parking lots, tailgating and suite operations for its home game against James Madison after Hurricane Isaias raised the possibility of severe weather around Paulson Stadium.
The change moved the opening of those operations from 8 a.m. to noon ET on Friday, giving the school more time to monitor conditions before Saturday’s Sun Belt Conference matchup in Statesboro, Georgia.
The Eagles said on Thursday that they were watching Isaias with the Sun Belt and James Madison because of the potential for inclement weather in the afternoon and into game time. The game itself remained scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore said the Georgia Southern game was the college football game he was most worried about, pointing to the chance for storms that could produce tornadoes. He also mentioned other Southeast games in the storm’s path, including Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech, while saying weather in Gainesville was not the main concern.
What the delay means
The adjustment does not change kickoff, but it does show how seriously Georgia Southern is treating the weather threat. By pushing back parking lot access, tailgating and suite operations, the school reduced the amount of time fans would spend around the stadium before the game while conditions were still uncertain.
For James Madison and Georgia Southern, the focus now shifts to whether Isaias continues to create a risk window near Paulson Stadium. The game is still set to go on as planned, but pregame operations will now be handled with a later start time and closer attention to the forecast.
