Sugar Bowl Postponed Due to Deadly Attack on Bourbon Street

New Orleans, LA - The College Football Playoff's New Year's Six matchup between Notre Dame and Georgia has been postponed to Thursday at 4 p.m. ET due to a deadly attack on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

The Sugar Bowl originally scheduled for Wednesday night was delayed by 24 hours after a truck rammed through a crowd, killing at least 10 people and injuring at least 25 others in the early morning hours of Wednesday. The incident is being investigated as a terrorist attack by the FBI, which discovered explosive devices in the truck and elsewhere throughout the French Quarter.

Sugar Bowl chief executive Jeff Hundley said he consulted with ESPN and the College Football Playoff, and all parties agreed to postpone the event by 24 hours. However, the Sugar Bowl announced later that night that it would kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, slightly earlier than initially planned.

"We have full faith and confidence in the governor and the mayor and all the federal, state, and local first responders," Hundley said in a statement. "Any time we have an event like the Sugar Bowl, public safety is paramount, and all parties involved agree that could only be achieved with a postponement."

The decision to postpone the Sugar Bowl was made by a long list of officials involving the Sugar Bowl, local, state, and federal authorities, as well as the CFP, the SEC, Georgia, Notre Dame, and the Caesars Superdome.

ESPN will air the game on Thursday, along with its previously scheduled megacast. The network had originally planned to broadcast a game on Wednesday night but will instead air an edition of SportsCenter on Wednesday evening.

"I want to thank ESPN for its flexibility in changing the game window," CFP executive director Rich Clarke said. "The decision to postpone tonight's Sugar Bowl was made in the best interest of public safety, and we are glad that no one else was injured besides those who are already fighting for their lives."

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey also expressed his support for the postponement, saying, "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."

The 2025 Super Bowl scheduled to take place at the Superdome in February remains unchanged, according to an NFL statement. The league has been working on comprehensive security plans for the event for two years, along with local officials and the host committee.

"We are confident attendees will have a safe and enjoyable Super Bowl experience," the NFL said in a statement.