NEW ORLEANS — Fans of Georgia and Notre Dame gathered in a plaza near the Superdome, enjoying live music beneath clear blue skies, while security personnel monitored the event from rooftops. The atmosphere was festive as they made their way into the stadium for the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl on Thursday.
“It was a lot of fun. It felt safe,” said Shannon Horsey, a Georgia supporter from Austin, Texas, who attended the game with her husband, Joe, and their two teenage children, Jack and Zoe. “Coming in they searched my bag thoroughly. So I felt like, OK, they’re really paying attention.”
Their trip extended after the game was rescheduled from its original Wednesday night slot due to a tragic incident in the French Quarter, where a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd, resulting in 14 deaths and multiple injuries before police fatally shot the perpetrator.
Notre Dame achieved victory over Georgia with a score of 23-10 during the match that unfolded without any incidents despite heightened security. “We can see the presence up on the rooftop,” Shannon noted, referencing the police sniper stationed above Champions Square. “So, I kind of felt like this is probably one of the safest places to be in the city.”
Joe Horsey remarked that although the crowd was larger than anticipated, the enthusiasm seemed less than that of a typical football game. “You could sense the musicians trying to get people riled up. People are kind of going through the paces, a little bit in shock, but trying to make the best out of the day,” he explained.
He also observed a level of courtesy among rival fans which is uncommon in football contests. “SEC football can get nasty on game day and can get a little raucous,” he expressed. “But there’s a little different sense of civility and that there’s bigger things than football.”
Flags remained at half-staff outside governmental buildings to honor the lives lost in the attack, which has been classified as a terrorist act. “Obviously the events that occurred were very challenging, and I just want everybody to know that the Notre Dame family, every single person in our locker room is praying for those families,” remarked Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard. He also acknowledged the rapid response of the New Orleans police, crediting them for ensuring a safe playing environment in the wake of the tragedy.
The incident took place on Bourbon Street, a bustling area filled with nightlife, located near Canal Street, a central thoroughfare in downtown New Orleans. The crime scene was gradually cleared for public access by Thursday, a distance of about one mile from the Superdome.
Security measures were greatly increased surrounding the stadium. Authorities obstructed regular traffic from accessing the main entrance on Poydras Street, which is a busy eight-lane road. Helicopters patrolled the skies, while security personnel engaged with bomb-sniffing dogs near the 70,000-seat venue, conducting checks on vehicles approaching the parking garage and inspecting bags and backpacks.
The game, initially set for 7:45 p.m. CST on Wednesday, was moved to 3 p.m. Thursday, occurring approximately 36 hours after the attack. This marked the first postponement in the Sugar Bowl’s extensive 91-year history, though it had been relocated following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Additionally, the Superdome is set to host the Super Bowl on February 9.
Notre Dame is moving on to compete in the Orange Bowl next Thursday against Fiesta Bowl champion Penn State.
Mark Oldani, a 58-year-old Notre Dame alumnus from Nashville, captured a group photo of Georgia supporters outside the venue. He noted that the crowd was remarkably amicable, stating, “Nobody yelling back and forth at each other. I think everybody’s coming in hoping for a good game and wanting to make the most of a really difficult situation.”
Prior to the national anthem, a moment of silence was observed that lasted nearly half a minute. Some fans altered their travel plans, extending their stay for the game, while others faced difficulties in adjusting cost-prohibitive arrangements due to the postponement. Numerous tickets were listed for resale online, with prices dropped to as low as $23.
Lisa Borrelli, a 34-year-old from Philadelphia who traveled to New Orleans with her fiancé, expressed that while they were saddened to miss the game after purchasing tickets for over $250 each, they understood that the decision to reschedule was correct. “Of course we’re disappointed to miss it and to lose so much money on it, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter,” Borrelli concluded. “We’re fortunate enough that we’ll be fine.”
