Leagues cancel and reschedule Florida games

Miami’s NCAA football game at Arkansas State scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled over concerns about hurricane Irma, a powerful Category 5 storm forecasters believe will affect Florida this weekend.

Getting to Arkansas for the game would not be the problem for Miami. Getting back to Miami would be the potential issue, and the uncertainty over what will happen with the storm led to the decision as a precaution.

The game will not be made up in 2017.

“This is about what’s best for our students, coaching staff and their families,” Miami athletic director Blake James said. “There’s bigger things than football.”

The NFL also decided Wednesday to move the Tampa Bay at Miami game — originally scheduled for Sunday — to Nov. 19. That decision means the Dolphins and Bucs will play 16 consecutive weeks, starting in Week 2, since Week 11 was set to be the bye week for both clubs.

The Dolphins cancelled practice for the rest of the week, and some players were looking to evacuate. So, too, were some members of the Miami Hurricanes’ women’s basketball team — they were heading to Georgia and out of Irma’s expected path. Miami has cancelled classes until at least Monday.

Florida International’s home game with Alcorn State, scheduled for Saturday night, will not be played in Miami — and the teams were working Wednesday on a plan to meet at a neutral site on Friday.

Florida State and Florida, both scheduled to play at home on Saturday night, are also monitoring Irma and reviewing options. Moving kickoffs to earlier in the day were under consideration.

Dozens of high school football games were either cancelled or rescheduled, and Miami also cancelled two volleyball matches, two women’s soccer games and a cross-country meet because of the expected storm.