Sports · November 13, 2026
College football teams scrambling to find alternate travel plans after FAA lifts ground-stop order
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On Friday, a nationwide FAA ground stop caused significant disruptions to college athletics travel during a critical weekend for both football and basketball. The Federal Aviation Administration halted all departing flights for approximately four hours due to what was described as a communication issue or software update error. The stoppage affected at least 10 Power 4 football teams, including programs from the Big 12, Big Ten, and the universities of Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. While the ground stop was lifted Friday night, it forced teams to scramble for alternate arrangements, leading to at least one postponed basketball game between Cornell and UNC Greensboro.
Read the original coverage
- ESPNSports network
FAA ground stop disrupting travel for 10 Power 4 college football teams
Read at ESPN ↗ - CBS SportsSports network
College football teams scrambling to find alternate travel plans after FAA lifts ground-stop order
Read at CBS Sports ↗ - NewsNationMainstream
Multiple college football teams in flight limbo due to FAA ground stop
Read at NewsNation ↗ - New York PostTabloid
Cornell game postponed as historic FAA ground stop hits college basketball
Read at New York Post ↗
Reported by multiple outlets
- The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop for all departing flights on Friday.
- The ground stop was lifted on Friday night.
- At least 10 Power 4 college football teams had their travel plans disrupted.
- Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy attributed the issue to communication problems.
Reported by only some outlets
- The Big 12 and Big Ten conferences were among those with impacted schools.
- Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas were specifically cited as affected football programs.
- The ground stop lasted approximately four hours, ending shortly after 8:30 p.m.
- The Cornell vs. UNC Greensboro men's basketball game was postponed.
- According to FlightAware, 6,481 flights were canceled on Friday.
- This was only the third nationwide ground stop in history.
Confirmed
- FAA issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday.
- The ground stop was lifted on Friday night.
- Travel for 10 Power 4 football teams was disrupted.
- The stoppage was due to communications/software issues.
- UNC Greensboro vs. Cornell men's basketball was postponed.
Reported
- A botched software update caused the communication issue. (New York Post)
- At least 6,481 flights were canceled on Friday. (New York Post)
Rumor
- Games may have to be pushed back due to late arrivals. (CBS Sports)
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