Sugar Bowl ready for 'beefed up' security, understanding of importance

NEW ORLEANS — Sports felt secondary on Wednesday, New Year’s Day, in New Orleans after the tragedy that occurred hours after midnight on Bourbon Street. A truck plowed into pedestrians around 3:15 a.m. locally, killing at least 15 with dozens other injured. As a result, the Allstate Sugar Bowl matchup between Georgia and Notre Dame was postponed until Thursday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

ESPN’s Laura Rutledge spent the day at the Superdome, site of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal on Thursday. She described the scene as ‘quiet’ after the building was in lockdown for a police sweep to ensure there were no explosives present.

Georgia players and coaches came through for a closed walkthrough in the early hours of the afternoon. It was part of an effort that Rutledge shared about coaches and players on both sides of the contest “trying to build out their schedules, doing team meetings throughout the day as well as light walk throughs in ballrooms at the hotels while also trying to keep everybody as calm as possible.”

“Me and Kirby have not spoken directly since our press conference (Tuesday morning) but our athletic directors have been in communication. In the brief time I have spent with Kirby Smart I have a lot of respect for him and know that he understands how important this country this is and how minute the game of football is compared to real lives and our nation,” Marcus Freeman shared during an interview on ESPN. “We all will have that on the forefront of our minds as we move forward but also have to understand there’s a game to play and an opportunity that both programs have to play in the College Football quarterfinals. We have to make sure we’re ready for that opportunity that’s going to come here in the next couple of hours.”

Rutledge shared that “an extra layer of security” will be present in the Superdome for Thursday’s game. Postponement occurred in an effort to ensure public safety, and that will remain paramount on the updated game day as well.

“You’ll see that inside the stadium as well as outside,” Rutledge reported. “Law enforcement is coming from all over the place to beef up this security operation as much as possible. That was very important to not only the city officials as well as the FBI, the College Football Playoff officials and the Sugar Bowl officials.”

University of Georgia Athletics Statement

“We are deeply saddened by the senseless violence that occurred in New Orleans. All team personnel and members of the official team travel party have been accounted for. Currently, we are in contact with local law enforcement as well as representatives from the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff and are continuing to gather more information. Our prayers are with all those who traveled here for the Sugar Bowl and entire New Orleans community.”

Sugar Bowl Statement

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families as we work through this. We have full faith and confidence in the governor and the mayor and all the federal, state, and local first-responders that they’ve applied to this horrific event. 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. Now we will move ahead to take care of the details to make the Sugar Bowl the first-class, fun, and safe event that it has been for over 90 years.” – Jeff Hundley, CEO of Allstate Sugar Bowl

College Football Playoff Statement

On behalf of the College Football Playoff, we are devastated by this morning’s attack, and our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those affected by this tragedy. We are grateful to the leadership of the Sugar Bowl, New Orleans, the State of Louisiana and federal authorities as we work together to ensure we can provide a safe environment for everyone. We are also appreciative of ESPN’s flexibility in moving the game to tomorrow afternoon.” – Rich Clark, Executive Director of College Football Playoff