ASU, Miami off; Jonesboro trip not worth risk of Irma, 'Canes AD says

A map showing the potential path of Hurricane Irma.
A map showing the potential path of Hurricane Irma.

JONESBORO -- As Hurricane Irma crawled from the Atlantic into the Caribbean on Tuesday morning, the athletic directors at Arkansas State University and Miami discussed the possibilities of their programs' football game that was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Centennial Bank Stadium.

ASU Athletic Director Terry Mohajir said Wednesday that his department "did everything we could to accommodate them," but Wednesday morning Miami Athletic Director Blake James called Mohajir and said the No. 16 Miami Hurricanes would not make the trip.

The cancellation came at a time when several athletic programs across Florida were having to make similar decisions, but as of press time, Miami was the only program to cancel its football game.

"I can't speculate on decisions made by other schools," James told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "Each institution has to make the decision that's best for their school, student-athletes, coaches and families. For us, the situation with Hurricane Irma is one, based on what we're being told, put us in the projected path of the storm.

"There could actually be potential issues for our departure. I didn't feel it was right for us to not get our students back with their families given the timeline. Really, that was the basis for our decision."

James consulted with Miami President Julio Frenk -- who decided to cancel all university classes starting Wednesday morning -- and experts from the school's marine and atmospheric science programs before canceling all of Miami's athletic events this weekend.

Mohajir explored the possibilities of moving the game to Friday night, as Central Florida had with its home game against Memphis. He spoke with Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson on Tuesday night, and Benson said he reached out to the broadcast partners at ESPN to see whether moving it to Friday was possible.

"They said they would have room and could accommodate us," Benson said.

Mohajir said a key concern for Miami was travel, and 11:40 p.m. was the earliest flight they could get today.

"They didn't want to travel all night and then play Friday night," Mohajir said. "So I said, 'Well, let me try to help with our broker,' and we found two flights. I was willing to pay for their leg up here. So, we were just trying to accommodate them as much as possible to play the game, and at the end of the day, they made a decision for their institution that they would not play the game."

James, who responded specifically to a question regarding Central Florida's circumstances, said the flight back was a key concern.

"Orlando's in a different part of the state, [235] miles north," James said. "I guess the decision they made was based on what was right for them. For us to be on the road on a Friday night, to travel back here, based on what we're hearing, wasn't going to be something that was possible.

"Where Orlando's located in the state, their game starting at 6 or 6:30 p.m., they'll be done by 10 p.m. at night. We wouldn't have us back until the middle of the night, and with the safety of our students and coaches and their families in mind, we want to be able to get them back."

Miami-based Florida International University relocated its Saturday home game against Alcorn State to Legion Field at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Florida Atlantic, which is 52 miles north of Miami, will play its Saturday away game against Wisconsin.

Mohajir, who spent seven years as an official in FAU's athletic department from 2004-2011, spoke with FAU Athletic Director Patrick Chun as the Owls came to a decision to play at Wisconsin, which will pay FAU $1.2 million for its visit.

"He said the safest place for his players was outside the state of Florida," Mohajir said. "I think their decision is based on what they think is best for their institution, just like Blake said what was best for his institution."

The game between ASU and Miami was to complete a home-and-home contract that was signed by the programs in the summer of 2013.

ASU and Miami do not have an available week this season to make up the game, and James said it will be difficult to reschedule a game in the next few seasons. The buyout price was set at $650,000.

"Those are things in the contract that we'll have to work out," James said. "We're really focused on the hurricane. When the time comes, those are details that we'll have to discuss."

ASU Coach Blake Anderson said after Wednesday's practice that 50 to 100 unofficial visits by recruits were scheduled for the Miami game, but the cancellation is "not going to affect our recruiting."

When asked whether he thought ASU's near upset of Nebraska last weekend played into Miami's decision, Anderson demurred.

"I can't imagine what it's like having that kind of storm coming at us," he said. "We don't have to deal with that coming at us, obviously. I find it hard to believe that a Top 20 team in the country has got a problem coming to play us."

The Sun Belt's Benson and Anderson both spoke emphatically at July's Sun Belt media day about the importance of a Sun Belt team representing the Group of 5 conferences in a New Year's Six Bowl, which requires a team to be the highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion.

A victory over Miami could have legitimized the Sun Belt and benefited ASU in the polls.

"It was an opportunity to be on the big stage against a Power 5 team at home," Benson said. "I'm disappointed that the team isn't able to participate in that type of game."

"I hate it that we're not going to play it," Anderson said. "A lot of guys on staff were looking forward to it. It's been on the schedule for a while. But I completely understand there's a lot more involved than just whether or not we want to play the game or not. Our thoughts and prayers go to all that are sitting in the path of a big storm."

"I recognize the disappointment about not having a game," Miami's James said. "And it's a disappointment that is shared by us."

Six ASU players are from Florida, and Anderson said he will "make sure they can stay in communication with families down there" and that the department is "going to do everything we can to help."

"Whether that's clothes, even if need be getting them down there," Anderson said. "Even if we have to make room for family here, we'll reach out and do everything we can to help, so they won't have to worry about their families anymore than they normally would."

With five national championships, Miami would have been the most successful football program to visit Jonesboro.

"There was a lot of excitement going into it," ASU quarterback Justice Hansen said. "But you kind of find out quickly that the world's more than just about football."

Mohajir said he has made efforts to find a replacement game to keep ASU from playing just 11 games this season. A replacement game most likely would fall during ASU's off week Nov. 4. Mohajir said he reached out to Houston, Texas-San Antonio and several FCS teams.

"We just haven't been able to make anything fit yet," he said.

photo

Arkansas State Athletic Director Terry Mohajir explored the possibilities of moving the ASU-Miami game to Friday night before the decision was made Wednesday to cancel it.

Ticket exchange options set

— Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Arkansas State University announced Wednesday night it will have multiple ticket-exchange options available to fans that purchased tickets to the Red Wolves’ previously scheduled game against Miami. The game, which was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Jonesboro, was canceled Wednesday. Miami announced it would not make the trip to Jonesboro because of Hurricane Irma, which is expected to reach Florida this weekend.

Miami single-game tickets ranged from $20 to $100.

Ticket exchanges and refunds will begin today through the ASU ticket office, which can be reached at (870) 972-2781 or in person at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro.

The options are:

Exchange at equal value for two different remaining 2017 home football games (Example: If a fan had $100 of tickets to the Miami game, ASU will exchange those for $100 worth of tickets to each of two future 2017 football games).

Match single-game tickets for the rest of the season in a similar area, based on availability (Example: If a fan purchased two tickets to the Miami game, ASU will exchange those for two tickets in a similar area to each of the remaining five home games).

Refunds, which are only available to original purchaser of the ticket. Tickets that were purchased through Ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster charge-by-phone are automatically refunded within 48 hours. Tickets purchased from third-parties or other unofficial outlets are not offered refunds through ASU.

Games disrupted by Hurricane Irma

The Numbers indicate team locations on the accompanying map

NFL

1.Miami Dolphins vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers rescheduled to Nov. 19.

2.Jacksonville Jaguars will play their away game against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

NCAA Division I

1.Miami at Arkansas State: cancelled; Alcorn State at Florida International moved to Birmingham, Ala., on Friday.

2.Jacksonville University is off.

3.Bethune-Cookman at Southeastern Louisiana: undecided.

4.Northern Colorado at Florida moved from 6:30 p.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday

5.Florida A&M is off; Louisiana-Monroe at Florida State moved to noon Saturday.

6.Florida Atlantic at Wisconsin: As scheduled.

7.South Florida at UConn: Game to start at 9:30 a.m. instead of 11 a.m.

8.Stetson at Marist will play as scheduled.

9.Central Florida vs. Memphis has moved to 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

NCAA Division II

10.Florida Tech at McNeese State (Lake Charles, La.) at 7 p.m. Saturday.

11.West Florida vs. Midwestern State will play 6 p.m. Saturday.




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Sports on 09/07/2017

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story listed an incorrect time for when the Miami-ASU game was originally scheduled.

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