Sugar Bowl Delayed in Wake of Deadly New Orleans Attack

The Sugar Bowl has been delayed following a horrific attack over New Year's Eve in the French Quarter of New Orleans, per ABC News. The game was set to kick off today between the SEC Champions, the Georgia Bulldogs, and the seventh-seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The quarterfinal game between 2-seed Georgia and 7-seed Notre Dame has been rescheduled to be played on Thursday, Jan. 2 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. It has not yet been announced when the kickoff will be.

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Sugar Bowl officials issued a statement about the attack:

"The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available," Jeff Hundley, Chief Executive Officer.

A sign for the Allstate Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame is seen outside the Louisiana Superdome after at least ten people were killed on Bourbon Street when a person allegedly drove into a... Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Notre Dame issued a statement Wednesday morning asking fans for their prayers, reading, "We ask our fans to join us in prayer for those injured and lost in this senseless act of violence. Those staying at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel are welcome to join us for the previously scheduled Mass there at 11 a.m. Otherwise, we ask that you join us in prayer from wherever you are."

Similarly, UGA issued a statement reading, "We are deeply saddened by the senseless violence that occurred in New Orleans. All team personnel and members of the official team travel party have been accounted for. Currently, we are in contact with local law enforcement as well as representatives from the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff and are continuing to gather more information. Our prayers are with all those who traveled here for the Sugar Bowl and entire New Orleans community."

Reportedly, a UGA student was injured in the attack, though few details are known at this point. Georgia President Jere W. Morehead has issued another statement addressing the wounded student, which reads in part:

"At this point, we have learned that a University of Georgia student was critically injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment. I have spoken to the student's family and shared my concern, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community. I would like to express my gratitude to all the first responders who moved so quickly to help those affected by this senseless act of violence, as well as to the medical personnel who are caring for the injured."

At least ten people were killed, and dozens more injured early on New Year's Day, January 1, 2025, when a suspect allegedly drove a rented pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

The attack occurred around 3:15 a.m. in the French Quarter, as the driver reportedly bypassed barricades and plowed through a group of New Year's revelers. After crashing into the crowd, the suspect exited the vehicle, opened fire on responding police officers, and was shot and killed by law enforcement.

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Authorities are treating the incident as a terrorist attack, with the New Orleans Police Department reporting that at least 35 people were injured and taken to nearby hospitals.

The suspect has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas, per WBRZ. The FBI revealed that an ISIS flag was found in the vehicle, and they are investigating Jabbar's potential links to terrorist organizations.

At a press conference, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell condemned the killings as a "terrorist attack," and police officials described the suspect's actions as intentional. Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick emphasized that the driver's behavior was "hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage," adding that it was clear the attack was designed to target as many people as possible.

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