Wednesday’s Sugar Bowl game between Georgia and Notre Dame was postponed following the deadly attack in New Orleans, which killed at least 10 people.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sanky released a statement saying the decision was made in the best interest of public safety.
“The decision to postpone tonight’s Sugar Bowl was made in the best interest of public safety. Lives were tragically lost last night and we are appreciative that public officials and law enforcement agencies continue to work with great diligence to ensure the safety of the New Orleans community,” Sankey said.
The University of Notre Dame and president Robert A. Dowd released a statement, praying for the safety of those impacted.
The University of Georgia president Jere W. Morehead put out a statement as well.
The FBI is currently 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.
Some college football fans and pundits on social media were divided about the decision to postpone the game in the wake of the tragedy. Some fans have agreed with the decision to postpone the game, while others expressed outrage.
Fox Sports panelist Rachel Nichols expressed support for the postponement in a post on X.
“Glad the Sugar Bowl is being postponed. That’s the right call. Sending love to everyone in New Orleans,” Nichols wrote.
However, one X user responded to Nichols disagreeing, suggesting the postponement would “let the terrorists win.”
“I respectfully disagree. Postponing means the people behind this callous attack win. Let’s not let them win. We should not kowtow to them no matter how extreme they are,” the user wrote.
Conservative commentator John Ziegler also expressed disagreement with the postponement in a post on X.
“This is wrong. Postponing the Sugar Bowl one day will not do anything to bring back those who lost their lives, or make the game any safer. In fact, if gives the terrorists exactly what they wanted. We have become SO soft as a society in nearly every way,” Ziegler wrote.
“The ‘you can never be too safe’ people seem to pretend that there are no residential costs for postponing an event of the magnitude of the Sugar Bowl. Tens of thousands of people have traveled to New Orleans with no hotel for tomorrow night, or flight reservations for Friday.”
NOTRE DAME CALLS ON FANS TO ‘JOIN US IN PRAYER’ FOLLOWING APPARENT TERROR ATTACK AHEAD OF SUGAR BOWL
Another X user responded to Zieglier, suggesting that postponing the Sugar Bowl would allow law enforcement more room to track down other potential targets in the area.
“Reasons this is not wrong: allows more time to catch the bad guys who may be looking for another soft target; also allows 24 hours for grief and shock to be felt In honor of a somber day and those lives lost,” the user wrote, to which Ziegler responded, “Yeah, no.”
Meanwhile, WKRG sports journalist Simone Eli lambasted those who are complaining about the game being postponed, citing reports of other potential explosives in the city.
“People upset about the Sugar Bowl being postponed and it “giving power” to whomever — might want to go check out the reports of bombs being found and detonated throughout the city of New Orleans. Football can wait. Nothing is worth losing more lives. Won’t argue,” Eli wrote on X.
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.
New Orleans FBI’s Alethea Duncan noted during a press conference on Wednesday that the FBI does not believe that the main suspect in the attack, Shamsud Din Jabbar was “solely responsible” for the act. Police have warned that there could be further danger in the city.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy also called out those who have criticized postponing the game.
“Ok so it is postponed. And the people saying moving it 24 hours lets the terrorist win are idiots. It’s [one] day. Secure the area. Do what ya gotta do. Delaying a game 24 hours isn’t letting them win,” Portnoy wrote on X.
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 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.
Fox News Digital’s Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
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