The stage could hardly be bigger for Georgia and Alabama in Week 6. Both teams enter their matchup in Tuscaloosa undefeated; ESPN College GameDay is in town; President Donald Trump is expected to be there, and the talent on the field speaks for itself. Fans have every reason to circle this one.
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But as the anticipation builds, another storyline is developing beyond the stadium: Isaias, a tropical storm, is heading toward the spotlight. The tropical storm is lurking just 300 miles from the Gulf Coast beaches. And Tuscaloosa may not be out of its reach. Meteorologists warn that Isaias could bring strong winds, heavy rain, and even a tornado threat, with the severity hinging on the storm’s eventual path.
The uncertainty around the weather is also affecting the ticket prices for the game. Get-in prices are now starting at $186, down from around $240- $270 previously. According to Ticketmaster, the lowest available price is $158, while the most expensive tickets are going for around $1,100.
The same trend can be seen on StubHub. On Monday, the cheapest ticket was $290. That came down to $232 for an upper-level end zone seat two days ago. Now, the upper-level ticket is available at $174. The change is largely due to the latest weather forecast around the Tuscaloosa area.
Saturday’s Georgia-Alabama clash is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, with SEC officials monitoring the storm’s progress and remaining in close contact with both programs.
According to Alabama meteorologist James Spann, the hurricane is expected to make landfall late Friday night, with winds reaching 90–95 mph, before tracking northward through West Alabama or East Mississippi on Saturday.
“The daytime hours Saturday in Tuscaloosa will be very rough,” Spann said. “Soaking rain, heavy at times with some flooding potential. The risk of isolated tornadoes. Sustained winds of 15-30 mph with gusts to 45 mph possible.
“At this time, there are no plans to alter the contest,” Alabama athletics said Tuesday night.
On Sunday, Georgia coach Kirby Smart said he had no updates on the plans, was not involved in the decision-making, and had made few changes to the team’s practice schedule.
“It’s uncertainty, beyond my control,” Smart said on the weekly SEC coaches teleconference. “You got to practice for the long term of the season, not just for one week.”
“You can’t really practice conditions. You can’t simulate them. So you’re much better off educating yourself, learning from the past of the other people who have played in them, and preparing your team to play and not make it about that.”
What does the forecast say? Could Georgia-Alabama be moved?
According to The Weather Channel’s forecast, Isaias emerged in the Gulf this week and is expected to reach hurricane status by Thursday, with warnings that it could “strengthen to at least a Category 2 by Friday evening in the central Gulf.”
Alabama officials are in close contact with Spann, who said there could be enough information for the SEC to make a decision by Wednesday night. According to him, there are two scenarios.
Scenario 1: “Isaias moves at a good pace and the rain ends by 6 p.m. Winds diminish as well during the game. This is a real possibility.”
Scenario 2: “A slower-moving system will keep rain and wind in Tuscaloosa through the game Saturday night, with potential for isolated tornadoes.”
He further added, “My greatest concern is the tornado threat. You get some sneaky tornado that comes and hits a stadium with 100,000 people in there, that’s a humanitarian crisis. Out of all the hazards, that’s the thing that worries me the most.”
As of now, there’s no official announcement about moving the game, but the most practical solution could be to shift it to Sunday afternoon, when the storm is expected to have weakened.
The teams, players, and fans still don’t know whether the game will go ahead on Saturday, but there’s still hope that everything will work out.