The 2025 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans has been postponed just hours before kickoff on Wednesday after at least 10 people were killed and dozens more were injured in what federal officials are investigating as an act of terrorism.
Allstate Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley spoke at a press conference with local and federal officials on Wednesday afternoon to confirm that the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game between Georgia and Notre Dame will be postponed for 24 hours.
The Allstate Sugar Bowl logo at midfield during the CFP Semifinal Allstate Sugar Bowl game between the Texas Longhorns and the Washington Huskies on Jan. 1, 2024, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“We wish we weren’t here for this reason today. The Sugar Bowl committee has a 90-year history of being a good corporate citizen for the city of New Orleans and that’s why this tragedy hurts us as much as anybody right now. Our condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families as we all work through this,” Hundley said.
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“All parties all agree that it’s in the best interests of everybody in public safety that we postpone the game for 24 hours.
“There’ll be more details on that in the coming hours, but for now, that’s the plan that we’re going to move forward and play the game [tomorrow.]”
The postponement follows reports that the Superdome, the home of the New Orleans Saints, was initially placed on lockdown for security sweeps and that people with offices inside the stadium were told not to come on site until further notice.
An aerial overall exterior general view of Caesars Superdome, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
That directive included officials with the Sugar Bowl and Sun Belt Conference, a source told The Associated Press.
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According to a statement from the FBI, a man driving a Ford pickup truck drove into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street at around 3:15 local time. The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, exchanged gunfire with local law enforcement before being pronounced dead on the scene.
At least 10 people have been killed and 35 more injured as a result of the apparent terror attack.
The FBI is also working to determine “the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations,” after an ISIS flag was found in the truck. Weapons and a potential IED were located inside the suspect’s vehicle and other potential IEDs were also located in the French Quarter.
The tragedy in New Orleans comes as thousands of fans traveled to the historic city ahead of Wednesday night’s Sugar Bowl.
Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies work the scene on Bourbon Street after at least ten people were killed when a person allegedly drove into the crowd in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day on Jan. 1, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
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The Superdome is located just a mile away from the site of Wednesday morning’s deadly attack.
Georgia and Notre Dame arrived in New Orleans on Sunday and were reportedly staying in hotels just blocks away from the crime scene. According to reports, both schools have implemented a “shelter in place” for the teams.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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