The weather forecasts call for strong winds and possible tornadoes, so the Auburn and Georgia basketball game will be moved from 5 p.m. to 11 a.m.

Auburn, Georgia, the SEC, officials at ESPN and local authorities came to the decision together. The earlier tip-off time will give the Georgia team the ability to get on the road before the bad weather arrives. Right now, forecasts say 3 p.m. is when the weather will intensify.

Pearl said the effect of the earlier game time isn’t completely clear. Because of the gymnastics meet at 8 p.m. Friday, the team wouldn’t have been able to shoot around the night before or before the original 5 p.m. game Saturday.

They’ll obviously lose the primetime spot on television, and they’re not sure Dick Vitale will be able to come. Pearl was excited that ESPN considered the game big enough to send one of its best crews, but now they’ll lose some national attention on a rivalry match. The game will now be broadcast on ESPNews. But all of that takes a back seat to everyone’s safety.

“So with that all said, get up early, get some breakfast, get your coffee and come over to Auburn Arena,” Pearl said. “It’s going to be a pretty exciting game.”

Auburn University has storm shelters for people who need somewhere to go. Auburn Arena is not officially a shelter, as was originally mentioned, but if a tornado watch is issued, Auburn will open Greene Hall at the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Draughon Library as shelters. There are also designated places within university buildings that are marked with signs.