Hurracane Gustav forces postponement of LSU/Troy state game

Though Hurricane Gustav fortunately weakened before hitting the US Gulf Coast, minimizing damage to life and property, it has had an impact on the area’s sports schedules.  The most recent change necessitated by the storm is the announcement that Saturday’s football game between #7 LSU and Troy State scheduled for Baton Rouge.  The game will be rescheduled for November 15th, previously an open date for both programs.

LSU’s home field at Tiger Stadium suffered minor damage, including missing roof shingles, a few broken windows and some damage to an end zone scoreboard.  The school’s athletic administration building next door sustained similar damage, and there was some minor flooding of the team’s practice facilities.  The most significant factor in the postponement is the ongoing power outage in the area—most of Baton Rouge is still without power and expectations are that it would only be partially restored by Saturday.

LSU hustled to get their opening game played before the storm, moving kickoff up to 10 AM last Saturday.  The team was able to practice on Tuesday at their indoor training facility and until now had been operating on the assumption that the Troy State game would be played as scheduled.  Troy State opened their season with a win over Middle Tennessee State though clearly would almost certainly be facing a loss against the powerful Tigers.  LSU was listed as a 23 point wagering favorite prior to the postponement.

Hurricane Gustav hit the Louisiana Gulf Coast on Monday.  The mainstream media had descended on New Orleans, apparently hoping for a redux of the disastrous Hurricane Katrina but to their disappointment the storm bypassed the city.  The eye of the storm passed west of New Orleans over Baton Rouge and Lafayette who, for the most part, took the hit without flinching.  Fortunately, the storm weakened significantly before it struck the coast and predictions for a “monster” hurricane proved to be incorrect. The area is recovering quickly from the minor damage, and thankfully there was minimal loss of life across the region.