LSU moving and re-scheduling games because of acts of nature is nothing new

For the third time in five years, LSU is moving a football game because of a hurricane.

With Hurricane Delta scheduled to slam into the Louisiana coast on Friday, LSU and Missouri officials will announce Wednesday that Saturday’s game between the schools is being moved from Baton Rouge to Columbia, Mo.

The game had been scheduled for an 8 p.m start in Tiger Stadium and televised on ESPN. Now, it has an 11 a.m. kickoff in Faurot Field with a yet-to-be-determined TV partner.

Here’s some of LSU’s past schedule re-arrangements forced by hurricanes or inclement weather:

2017 — Flooding from Hurricane Harvey in Houston moved LSU’s season opener vs. BYU on Sept. 2 to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. In what was Matt Canada’s debut as offensive coordinator, LSU won 27-0 despite most of the Tigers’ 10 penalties being illegal motion or offsides as LSU struggled with Canada’s shifting and motion concepts.

2016 — The Tigers’ October 8 game at Florida was rescheduled to Nov. 19 in Tiger Stadium because of a threat of Hurricane Matthew, which resulted in little or no rain in Gainesville on game day.

The Tigers had offered the Gators options of kickoff times to keep the game in Gainesville and play as scheduled later in the weekend or the following Monday. LSU had also offered to play the game in Baton Rouge, Mobile, or New Orleans. Florida declined all options.

When the game was finally played, LSU had a possible chance to earn a Sugar Bowl invitation. The Tigers lost 16-10 to the Gators when LSU running back Derrius Guice ran the wrong way on a goal line play as time expired.

2015 — LSU’s Oct. 14 game at South Carolina was moved to Baton Rouge because of severe flooding in Columbia, S.C. It turned out to be the final game of South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier’s 26-year career as a head coach. He resigned two days after LSU’s 45-24 win.

Earlier in 2015, LSU’s season-opener on Sept. 5 in Tiger Stadium vs. McNeese State was was canceled after a 3 hour, 46 minute rain delay. The game kicked off at 6:39 p.m. as scheduled, but after 11 minutes of play and one offensive drive by each team, lightning halted play in a scoreless game.

2008 — LSU’s season opener against Appalachian State in Tiger Stadium was moved from a night kickoff to 11 a.m. because of impending arrival of Hurricane Gustav. The Tigers won 41-14 over the FCS (Division 1-AA) No. 1 ranked team.

2005 — Hurricanes Katrina and Rita thoroughly re-arranged the start of the Les Miles coaching era at LSU.

Katrina’s landfall and subsequent flooding of New Orleans forced LSU to move its first two games because of all the flood refugees in Baton Rouge. The Sept. 3 season opener against North Texas State was rescheduled for October 29, which LSU won 56-3.

The season’s second game, also set in Baton Rouge on Sept. 10 vs. Arizona State, was moved to Tempe, Ariz. LSU won 35-31 on JaMarcus Russell’s fourth-down 39-yard TD pass to Early Doucet.

LSU’s third game, also at home, against Tennessee, was moved from Sept. 24 (Saturday) to Sept. 26 (the following Monday) after Hurricane Rita passed through Baton Rouge. In Miles’ home debut, LSU blew a 21-0 halftime lead and lost 30-27 to the Vols in overtime,

1965 — LSU’s Sept. 10 season opener in Tiger Stadium was delayed for eight days after Hurricane Betsy sank a barge containing poisonous chlorine gas in the Mississippi River near Tiger Stadium. Also, the stadium scoreboards, press box and light towers were damaged. When the game was played Sept. 18, LSU won 10-0.

1964 — LSU’s home game on Oct. 3 vs. Florida was postponed until after Hurricane Hilda hit Baton Rouge. The Gators won the rescheduled matchup 20-6 on Dec. 5, thanks to the play of starting quarterback Steve Spurrier.

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