Clemson changes game time due to approaching storm

TigerNet Staff by

The impending impact of Hurricane Florence on South Carolina has caused a changed in the schedule for Clemson hosting Georgia Southern on Saturday.

The kickoff has been moved to noon on Saturday. The game was set to be televised on ESPN2 originally, but Miami and Toledo are currently on the slate for noon on ESPN2. Official word from the school was announced Wednesday afternoon:

CLEMSON, S.C. – In response to the potential effects of Hurricane Florence, kickoff for the Clemson vs. Georgia Southern game on Saturday has been moved up from 3:30 p.m. to noon.

Clemson University officials continue to work with emergency management personnel, the ACC Office and Georgia Southern officials this week in preparation for Hurricane Florence and how it may alter operations for the game on Saturday...

As with last season’s home opener vs. Auburn, fans are asked to make plans to arrive early, expect delays in gameday traffic and parking and exercise patience in their commute to and from campus. Again, visit ClemsonTigers.com for parking and traffic information as the weekend draws closer.

Plans for the ESPN television broadcast of the game are still being determined and will be communicated once finalized.

The current forecast calls for partly cloudy weather on Saturday in Clemson but the track of the storm is projecting tropical-storm conditions approaching the Upstate as early as Sunday.

Before the announcement, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was asked about the situation on the ACC coaches' teleconference Wednesday.

"I think we're going to play the game. I haven't really put much thought into it beyond that," Swinney said. "If the game time changes, then we have a plan in place for all game times. That's something that we do every week. So we'd just kind of switch our itinerary a little bit. But as far as postponing and all that, I don't think that's going to happen, but if for some reason it did, then we'd just move on to the next game. Kind of business as usual, and you just wouldn't have a game on Saturday. So I guess the guys would get a day off, and then we'd crank it back up on Sunday and get ready for the next opponent."

The No. 2 Tigers (2-0) are playing Georgia Southern (2-0), which is based in Statesboro, Georgia, for the first time. Clemson will be at Georgia Tech next Saturday in a 3:30 p.m. kickoff (ABC, ESPN or ESPN2).