What College Football Teams Were Impacted by the FAA Shut Down?

What college football teams were impacted by the FAA shut down?

Ole Miss, Auburn, Utah, Baylor, Arizona State, Washington, Tulane, and Florida Atlantic are among the clearest confirmed cases tied to game-date or kickoff changes for the November 14, 2026 college football weekend. Other programs reported travel disruptions, while Kansas and West Virginia had a schedule adjustment without that alone establishing that either team was stranded.

Status checked: November 14, 2026, 6:33 a.m. ET. All game times below are Eastern. This is a verified snapshot, not an exhaustive count of every affected team or a live arrival tracker. Early reports that a team was grounded Friday do not establish that it remains grounded Saturday.

The biggest confirmed change is Ole Miss at Oklahoma moving to Sunday, November 15, at 1 p.m. ET. Multiple Saturday games also have revised starts. Travel disruption is relevant to preparation, but it does not by itself establish that a team will lose, start slowly, or perform below its usual level.

Was this an FAA shutdown or a ground stop?

The more precise description is a nationwide ground stop. In its November 13 statement, the FAA attributed the halt to communications issues affecting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers. Calling this the “FAA shut down” matches the common search wording, but this article concerns the November 13 flight disruption rather than treating it as a federal government funding shutdown.

The ground stop was lifted Friday evening, as confirmed in the Port of Seattle’s operational update. Lifting a departure restriction does not instantly restore every charter, crew, hotel reservation, or team itinerary. A team can still need a later flight or a different travel plan after flying resumes.

Confirmed college football game changes

Ole Miss at Oklahoma: Sunday, November 15, 1 p.m. ET

Oklahoma announced that its home game against Ole Miss has moved to Sunday at noon Central, which is 1 p.m. ET. The change followed Ole Miss being unable to make its planned Friday flight. This is a postponement to a new date, not a cancellation.

Performance angle: the extra day gives the visiting team more opportunity to recover its routine than a same-day flight would, but also changes preparation for both sides. It shortens the interval before their next scheduled Saturday games by 1 day. Do not assume Ole Miss will still face a rushed Saturday arrival after the game has been moved to Sunday.

Auburn at Mississippi State: Saturday, 4:15 p.m. ET

Auburn’s official announcement sets kickoff at 3:15 p.m. Central, or 4:15 p.m. ET. The school confirmed altered travel plans and a late-Friday arrival at its hotel in Tupelo. The original noon ET start is outdated.

Performance angle: Auburn’s late arrival is relevant to sleep and the usual Friday routine. The later kickoff also provides additional recovery time, so using the delay as an automatic reason to oppose Auburn ignores the schedule adjustment designed to help accommodate it.

Utah at Arizona: Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET

Utah confirmed an 8:30 p.m. Mountain start in Tucson, or 10:30 p.m. ET, because of FAA-related travel delays.

Reporting indicated Utah planned to fly Saturday after its Friday trip fell through. That makes the actual arrival and time available before warmups more useful than the initial grounded-flight headline. The later start creates a buffer, but an announced travel plan should not be confused with confirmation that the team has landed.

Baylor at BYU: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET

The Big 12’s official schedule adjustment sets Baylor–BYU for 6 p.m. Central, or 7 p.m. ET, on FOX. Baylor was among the teams reported to be planning Saturday travel.

Performance angle: monitor the final arrival and preparation window. The changed start is confirmed; the exact amount of lost rest and any resulting performance effect have not been established here.

Arizona State at UCF: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET

The Big 12 moved Arizona State–UCF to 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU. Arizona State was also reported to be planning a Saturday flight, making the cross-country trip a preparation issue worth monitoring. The relevant questions are whether travel occurs on time and how much of the normal pregame routine remains available.

Washington at Michigan State: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET

Washington’s official update lists a 2:30 p.m. Pacific kickoff, or 5:30 p.m. ET, because of FAA-related travel delays. That replaces the previous 4:15 p.m. ET start.

Performance angle: the long trip and altered departure are worth tracking, but the announcement does not quantify Washington’s sleep or establish an on-field disadvantage. Confirmed arrival information should carry more weight than a blanket assumption about west-to-east travel.

Tulane at Rice: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET

Tulane confirmed a revised 3:30 p.m. Central kickoff, or 4:30 p.m. ET, on ESPN+. Its announcement directly attributes the change to the national travel disruption.

Florida Atlantic at Tulsa: Saturday, 7:15 p.m. ET

FAU announced that its game at Tulsa has moved to 7:15 p.m. ET.

Tulsa’s announcement also notes that the adjusted schedule was pending resolution of the travel disruption. Treat the new kickoff as the announced plan and check the schools for further changes.

Kansas at West Virginia: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET

The Big 12 also moved Kansas–West Virginia to 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. This is a schedule impact. It should not be used as proof that Kansas had a difficult trip, lost sleep, or arrived late.

Other teams with reported travel disruptions

Broader reporting on the disrupted travel plans also identified Texas, Tennessee, Kansas State, Minnesota, Purdue, North Texas, Colorado State, Oregon State, Utah State, and Wyoming among programs affected or monitoring revised departures. Some were initially grounded, others considered alternative transportation, and some planned later flights. Those are reported travel issues, not a claim that every listed game was postponed.

Purdue, for example, was reported to be switching to a bus trip to Iowa City. That is a different disruption from a team still waiting for a charter to become available.

A later report said Kansas State–TCU remained on for 1 p.m. Central, or 2 p.m. ET, despite the travel problem. This illustrates why an early grounded-team list should not be mistaken for a final list of delayed games.

How could travel disruption affect team performance?

The following are analytical considerations, not measured effects from this incident. A disrupted itinerary may compress hotel rest, meals, treatment, meetings, or walkthroughs. A late-night bus ride creates a different preparation challenge from a Saturday morning charter. A later kickoff may offset some of that disruption.

The most useful information is specific: actual arrival time, time remaining before kickoff, whether the team completed its normal preparation, and whether coaches describe any resulting limitation. Without those details, assigning a fixed points penalty or assuming a slow first quarter would overstate what is known.

Also reconsider the environment at the revised start. A later kickoff or a Sunday move changes the time window for temperature, rain, wind, and stadium conditions. This article does not establish a specific weather advantage; use an updated forecast for the new kickoff rather than the old one.

What fans and bettors should verify next

Check the school or conference’s latest announcement before traveling or setting a viewing schedule. For wagers, verify how the sportsbook handles postponements and date changes; a move to Sunday does not have identical settlement treatment at every operator. An existing ticket and a newly listed market may also have different terms.

Travel news belongs alongside injuries, lineups, matchup quality, and price. A confirmed disruption can change the questions to ask, but it is not a standalone pick. The central distinction is between confirmed schedule changes, reported travel plans, and unproven performance consequences.