By Cody Stark
Assistant Sports Editor
September 10, 2008 10:48 pm
—
As of Wednesday afternoon, Sam Houston State’s home football game against Prairie View A&M at Bowers Stadium is still set to kick off as scheduled, at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Bearkats athletic director Bobby Williams said there was talk about moving the game to today, but nothing came to fruition. There is still a possibility the game can be moved to Friday, or earlier Saturday, in order to beat the nasty weather forecasted when Hurricane Ike makes landfall somewhere on the Texas coast this weekend.
If the Bearkats’ game is moved or the time is changed, it will be announced later this afternoon.
“The game is still scheduled for its normal time Saturday. Nothing has changed,” Williams said Wednesday afternoon. “If it becomes an option and we can move the game to Friday or play earlier in the day on Saturday, then there will be an announcement (today). We are still keeping an eye on the situation and will go from there.”
Authorities issued a warning for folks on the Gulf Coast to begin evacuations Wednesday with Ike expected to hit somewhere between Houston and Corpus Christi early Saturday morning as a possible Category 4 hurricane, capable of producing winds up to 131 mph.
With the storm’s projected path still unpredictable, Sam Houston State President James Gaertner issued a statement Wednesday that the game and Parent’s Weekend festivities will go on as scheduled.
“Although it is still very early to make definitive decisions concerning the operations and events at SHSU with Hurricane Ike looming, it is our present intention to remain open and to hold the Parent’s Weekend and the Saturday football game as planned,” Gaertner said.
“We will monitor the storm closely and stay in constant contact with local and state officials. If a decision is made to close the university or to cancel scheduled weekend activities, we will notify fans as soon as that decision is made.”
The Bearkats practiced as usual Wednesday afternoon. If the game is moved up to Friday, it shouldn’t hurt Sam Houston, which is coming off a bye week.
The Kats were able to get a few extra days to get ready for Prairie View, so cutting preparation time short wouldn’t be much of a factor.
“There is no question that if the game was moved to Friday we would benefit because we have had more time to prepare with Prairie View having played last week,” SHSU head coach Todd Whitten said. “We will just keep our fingers crossed that we will be able to play.
“I think it is more frustrating for the players. They have been off a week, and just imagine if you are a senior because you only have so many of these (games) left. To have one taken away from you is a big deal. Maybe Mother Nature will agree with us.”
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.