What the Northern Colorado game cancellation means for Florida football

[jbcarol]

 Scott Stricklin‏Verified account @ScottStricklin 10h10 hours ago

(1/2) Met today w/campus & city officials re:hurricane. Hope is to play game in Gainesville this weekend if possible ...

(2/2) ... Will get updated forecast Wed. and then communicate plans to public. Thx for your patience.

"We continue working with university and government officials to monitor the progress of Hurricane Irma and determine the impact of the storm on our events in Gainesville this weekend,"  Steve McClain, Florida's senior associate athletic director for communications, said in a release. "Additionally, we are communicating with the Southeastern Conference office and keeping them updated."

[jbcarol]

 Michael Carvell‏ @Michael_Carvell 16h16 hours ago

Florida Gators-Northern Colorado game to be streamed on SEC Network+
https://www.seccountry.com/florida/florida-gators-northern-colorado-game-moved-sec-network

Due to the impending threat of Hurricane Irma, the game will kick off at noon instead of 7:30 p.m. and will only be streamed live on the SEC Network+, which can be accessed through WatchESPN.

Florida Athletics Director Scott Stricklin said that because Florida is playing a non-marquee, nonconference matchup, there wasn't as much concern about making sure the game was televised. At the end of the day, he said, Florida, the athletic department, and the City of Gainesville put a priority on safety for all involved.

"We're not going to be able to be on a linear network because the SEC Network already has a game at that time," Stricklin said. "We will be on the streaming devices, which obviously more and more people are getting accustomed to using. It'll still be available through streaming.

"With other cancellations, there might be a window that one of our TV partners can put us on over on a linear channel, but we're not anticipating that at this point. At the end of the day, the safety thing was our overriding concern. Not the TV thing."

[Razorbackwarrior79]

My buddy at ESPN just said that Florida has cancelled there scheduled game.

[jbcarol]

My buddy at ESPN just said that Florida has cancelled there scheduled game.

Graham Hall‏Verified account @GrahamHall_ 2h2 hours ago

McElwain: "It's a huge jump from Game 1 to Game 3. And that's what it's got to be." #Gators

[jbcarol]

 Brandon Zimmerman‏ @BZSEC 3h3 hours ago

This will be the third time in four years Florida has lost a game due to weather (2014-Idaho, 2016-Presbyterian, 2017-N.Colorado).


Got LSU in last season

[jbcarol]

Scott Stricklin
✔
@ScottStricklin

Every possible effort was made to play this game, but given circumstances, playing game wasn't right thing to do. Stay safe, Floridians.

Gators (0-1) will now head into SEC play against Tennessee next week without a win and searching for any semblance of momentum as they attempt to make it to the SEC Championship Game for a third straight season. Florida is coming off a one-sided, 33-17 loss to Michigan in its season opener that showed glaring holes in the Gators' offense, which mustered just 192 total yards.

It also makes Florida's handling of the quarterback battle a little more interesting. Redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks was supposed to start against Northern Colorado before coach Jim McElwain and the rest of his staff re-evaluated the position battle.

"We were ready to play a game and get that taste out of our mouth," McElwain said on his weekly radio show after the announcement was made. "At the same time, you realize there are a lot of things bigger in life than third down and six."

[jbcarol]

 AL.com sports‏Verified account @aldotcomSports 7h7 hours ago

Florida AD called Auburn about hosting Gators prior to canceling Northern Colorado game

[jbcarol]

 Doug Ray‏ @doug_ray

Gainesville has the lowest supply of gasoline in the state, according to EOC. #HurricaineIrma