MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama officials are expected to decide by 5 p.m. Monday whether Thursday night’s home football game against Texas-San Antonio will be played as scheduled, as Tropical Storm Isaac moves through the Gulf of Mexico.
The storm’s approach overshadowed the Jaguars’ annual Fan Day, held Sunday at the Mitchell Center.
Game Decision Expected Monday
Options under consideration for the South Alabama-UTSA game include moving it to Saturday evening or Sunday evening. The timing depends on when UTSA would be able to fly into Mobile.
University classes were scheduled to meet as normal Monday, with a decision on the rest of the week’s class schedule expected by noon.
Storm Track Shifts West
Projections for the storm’s path moved steadily west over the weekend, with forecast landfall shifting from the Panama City, Fla., area to Mobile, then to the Biloxi, Miss., area and, most recently, toward New Orleans.
As of the 6 a.m. CDT update Monday, Mobile was not within the forecast cone for landfall. Areas outside the cone can still see significant impacts, however, as the strongest winds and storm surge occur on the eastern side of a hurricane’s eye.
Fans Turn Out for Autographs
At Sunday’s Fan Day, South Alabama coaches and players were stationed at tables lining the edge of the Mitchell Center floor, while the USA Bookstore, the Athletic Ticket Office and the USA National Alumni Association set up in the center of the arena.
Fans formed long lines for autographs from Jaguars student-athletes. The bookstore offered a limited selection that included tumblers, Nike game jerseys, hats, seat cushions, autograph footballs and a newly designed T-shirt.
South Alabama, coached by Joey Jones, plays its home games at Ladd-Peebles Stadium and competes in the Sun Belt Conference.
Update: Game Set for Saturday
The South Alabama-UTSA game is set for Saturday, Sept. 1. The Jaguars will wear red jerseys and white pants, and fans are being encouraged to wear red.
According to equipment operations manager Jeff Bailey, South Alabama also has white and blue jerseys ready for the season, along with red and blue pants, and the team will wear a variety of uniform combinations this season.
