In a tragic turn of events, the 2025 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans has been delayed by 24 hours following a suspected terrorist act that claimed the lives of at least ten people and injured dozens more. The incident occurred just hours before the scheduled kickoff of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game between Georgia and Notre Dame.

Allstate Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley, speaking at a press conference alongside local and federal officials, expressed the committee's deep sorrow and offered condolences to the victims and their families. He emphasized the Sugar Bowl's 90-year commitment to being a responsible member of the New Orleans community and explained that the decision to postpone was made in the interest of public safety.

The game is now slated for Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. Prior to the announcement, reports circulated that the Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints, was under lockdown for security sweeps, with personnel instructed to stay away. This directive affected Sugar Bowl and Sun Belt Conference officials.

The FBI has identified the suspect as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who allegedly drove a Ford pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street around 3:15 p.m. local time. Jabbar reportedly exchanged gunfire with law enforcement before being killed at the scene. An ISIS flag was discovered in the truck, and weapons and a potential IED were found inside the vehicle, with other possible IEDs located in the French Quarter. The FBI is investigating Jabbar's potential ties to terrorist groups.

This tragedy unfolded as thousands of fans arrived in New Orleans for the game. The Superdome is situated approximately a mile from the attack site. Both Georgia and Notre Dame arrived on Sunday and were reportedly staying in hotels near the scene. Both teams have reportedly implemented shelter-in-place procedures.