The Sugar Bowl that was slated to take place in New Orleans Wednesday night has been postponed after a deadly attack during New Year's celebrations, according to local officials.
The game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Georgia Bulldogs, part of the newly expanded college football playoffs, was originally set to go on at Caesars Superdome amid heightened security measures and an "increased level of alertness," New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno said on WWL-TV earlier Wednesday.
But Jeff Hundley, CEO of the Sugar Bowl, said that after speaking with game officials and the teams it was decided that "it's in the best interest of everybody and public safety that we postpone the game for 24 hours." They are also working "to set up a safe and efficient and fund environment" for tomorrow night," Hundley said during a press conference.
"There'll be more details on that in the coming hours, but for now that's the plan. We're gonna move forward and play the game," he said.
At least 10 people have been killed and dozens more were injured after a driver in a pickup truck, who has been identified by the FBI as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, plowed into a crowd on Bourbon Street early Wednesday morning during New Year's celebrations, according to officials. The FBI says that it is investigating the attack as "an act of terrorism" and that the suspect is dead.
Rev. Robert A. Dowd, president of the University of Notre Dame, said in a statement on Wednesday that "we are in solidarity with all those impacted by this tragedy."
The Sugar Bowl has been played in New Orleans every year since 1935, making it one of the oldest college football bowl games. Though it's most often been played on New Year's Day, this would be the 16th edition of the game to fall on Jan. 2. The Superdome, which also is set to host Super Bowl LIX in February, can seat more than 70,000 people during a football game.
The 90th anniversary of the contest will be broadcast on ESPN. The winner will advance to a semifinal game against Penn State at the Capitol One Orange Bowl on Jan. 9.
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