National Weather Service warnings for Tropical Storm Idalia issued on Monday set provisional alternate travel plans in motion for Florida, which plays No. 14 Utah on Thursday night.
Idalia is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane Monday and impact the Gulf Coast this week.
The Gators had planned to travel to Salt Lake City from Gainesville on Wednesday for Thursday’s game at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Multiple airlines issued travel warnings for potential “delayed, diverted or canceled” flights starting Tuesday.
Florida could decide to leave one day earlier and hold a walk-through or practice in Utah on Wednesday.
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell said he doesn’t expect the storm to impact the Seminoles this week. No. 8 FSU plays No. 5 LSU on Sunday in Orlando in the only matchup between ranked teams over the extended Labor Day weekend schedule in college football.
Current warnings for the Tallahassee area expire at 11 p.m. EDT on Tuesday night and, if extended, Norvell said the university would make necessary adjustments. The city had begun making sandbags available Sunday night in preparation for the storm.
The Gators and Utes open the 2023 season in a rematch of their 2022 kickoff game in Gainesville, won 29-26 by Florida.
–Field Level Media
