Hurricane
Katrina cancels USU football team's home opener
Utah State's season-opening football game against Nicholls
State has been canceled because of Hurricane Katrina's
impact on Nicholls State's preparation and its players'
ability to get back to its campus this week.
Nicholls State is in Thibodaux, La., about 66 miles
southwest of New Orleans.
The game, which was slated for 1:05 p.m. Saturday in
USU's Romney Stadium, will not be rescheduled.
Utah State has a bye week Sept. 17 when the Colonels
are playing Cheyney. Nicholls State's bye week is Oct.
22 when the Aggies are hosting Boise State. The schools
decided not to hold a game Dec. 3. The Aggies will instead
open their season at Utah on Sept. 10.
Individuals who have purchased single-game tickets
for the contest will have the opportunity to trade their
tickets for any other home game on the Utah State schedule
this season with the exception of the Boise State game.
Tickets must be exchanged by Sept. 23.
Other home games for USU this year include Sept. 24
vs. UNLV, Oct. 8 vs. San Jose State, Nov. 5 vs. Louisiana
Tech, and Nov. 19 vs. Nevada.
This is the first time since 1970 that an Utah State
football game has been canceled. On Oct. 2 of that year,
the Wichita State football team was flying to Logan
for a game, when one of the planes crashed in Colorado.
The last time an Aggie football game was moved more
than two days from its schedule was due to 9/11 in 2001.
The Aggies were scheduled to play at Fresno State that
week, but the game was moved to Dec. 1.
"First and foremost our prayers are with the families
and victims of the hurricane," said USU director
of athletics Randy Spetman. "We need to do all
we can to support them.
"We are disappointed to not be playing this Saturday,"
he said. "There is a lot of excitement in the community
and we would have liked to have had a great game. We
will focus on Utah and then open the home season against
UNLV on Sept. 24."
Aggie head coach Brent Guy said his team will adjust
to the situation.
"Obviously our team is disappointed to not be
able to play," he said. "If a situation like
this occurred with us, I know we would have the same
problems. This is similar to 9/11 and we had to adjust
to those changes back in 2001.
"You always want to see where your team is and
we will have to wait an extra week for that," Guy
said. "You make your most progress between your
first and second game and we will have an open week
after the Utah game. We are just going to be playing
one game in 21 days basically."
Guy said the team will continue to practice throughout
the week and will start concentrating on Utah beginning
on Wednesday.
Here is a look at Utah State's September schedule.
For more information go to www.UtahStateAggies.com .
Sept. 3 NICHOLLS STATE - CANCELED
Sept. 10 at Utah
Sept. 17 Bye
Sept. 24 UNLV
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