TSU, Prairie View forced to change date
Labor Day Classic moved to November; Rice and Houston Baptist also make adjustments
The Labor Day Classic between Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M was rescheduled from this Saturday to the week of Thanksgiving as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to ravage Southeast Texas.
“We want to stress safety, heath and well-being for folks both at Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M, but also the city of Houston,” TSU athletic director Charles McClelland said. “We don’t want to take away from the city’s resources, so it’s better to focus on a full recovery effort.”
As the weather worsened, he said the schools looked at two potential dates to reschedule the game. One was in October, but the November date allows more time for rest and preparation for the weekend’s festivities.
“With the magnitude of the week’s activities, we wanted to provide a full week to concentrate on the game and that weekend,” he said.
McClelland said he will monitor the recovery effort and gauge when athletic activities will resume.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those that have been impacted by the severe weather and catastrophic flooding that has occurred over the past several days,” he said.
Owls relocate to TCU facility
Rice coach David Bailiff said his team will practice early this week at TCU’s indoor facility in Fort Worth.
The team originally was scheduled to arrive back in Houston from Australia after a connecting flight in Los Angeles before the storm altered its travel plans and forced them to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Bailiff said TCU was an ideal place to relocate because of the school’s convenience — in the Metroplex — and his connection to the staff. He formerly worked with TCU coach Gary Patterson from 2001 to 2003.
“Everything’s very dynamic right now,” Bailiff said of the team’s itinerary in the coming days.
He doesn’t know when the team will return to Houston, although he said the administration has suggested Wednesday or Thursday.
“You see the pictures, and you just pray for everyone there,” he said.
Bailiff expressed appreciation for other Texas schools that reached out to him as the Owls returned from Sydney. Baylor, SMU and UTEP all contacted Rice before Bailiff opted for TCU.
He said the team will start preparing for its Sept. 9 game against UTEP while in Fort Worth, if necessary. Rice does not play Saturday before traveling to El Paso to play the Miners in their Conference USA opener.
Huskies players around to practice
Houston Baptist practiced twice over the weekend and, if circumstances permit, will travel to San Marcos for Saturday’s season opener against Texas State.
Steve Moniaci, the Huskies’ athletic director, said most players live on campus and were on hand for practices Friday and Saturday.
“We’re able to take care of them and feed them on campus,” Moniaci said. “There hasn’t been much assessment about some of their families, and we’re concerned about that, but the players are well taken care of.”
Moniaci said coach Vic Shealy told him the team will be ready to play with one practice this week and available transportation to San Marcos on Friday.
LSU-BYU game now in New Orleans
Tropical Storm Harvey has claimed another game — one that was expected to draw more than 70,000 to NRG Stadium on Saturday night.
LSU and BYU announced that they will play the Advocare Texas Kickoff in New Orleans’ Mercedes-Benz Superdome at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
The devastating impact of Harvey forced the relocation. Ticket purchases are expected to be refunded and do not transfer to the Superdome game, LSU announced, adding new ticket sales will occur when LSU and Texas Kickoff officials decide on a new selling process for the game in New Orleans.
Sam Houston State, Richmond back on
Sam Houston State and Richmond will play at 6 p.m. Friday at McLane Stadium in Waco.
The game was originally scheduled for Sunday in Huntsville but was postponed.