Deion Sanders and Colorado amending travel plans to UCF ahead of Hurricane Helene

Tropical Storm Helene, though not yet a hurricane as of Tuesday evening, has the potential to develop into a major hurricane and disrupt the college football Week 5 schedule.

The storm formed in the Caribbean Sea and has prompted hurricane and storm surge warnings for parts of Florida. The National Weather Service’s latest advisory projects that Helene could intensify as it approaches the Gulf Coast of Florida, possibly reaching hurricane strength by late Thursday. This timing raises concerns about the potential impact on college football games scheduled for the weekend.

Although Orlando, where the University of Central Florida (UCF) is located, lies on Florida’s Atlantic coast, it could still experience heavy rain and strong winds depending on Helene’s trajectory. The current projections suggest the storm may make landfall just south of Tallahassee. To avoid travel complications, Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders has adjusted his team’s travel plans for their game against UCF. Originally scheduled to leave on Thursday, the team now plans to depart on Wednesday to avoid delays and disruptions caused by the storm.

“We don’t want to take that chance and the storm hits Thursday, now we can’t get there until Friday evening; now, it’s a rush,” Sanders said on Tuesday, explaining the decision to move up their travel plans. In addition to the early departure, the team’s equipment truck is already en route to Florida to stay ahead of the storm.

This matchup will be Colorado’s first conference game in Florida, a state that holds significant ties for many members of the team, including Sanders himself, who grew up in Fort Myers and became a star at Florida State. The game between Colorado and UCF is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET, broadcast on FOX. The potential impact of Helene adds an extra layer of uncertainty to what promises to be an exciting game.