Everything we know about the status of the playoff between Notre Dame and Georgia

In any case 10 people are dead and over 30 injured after a suspected terrorist plowed into a crowd of revelers celebrating New Year’s festivities in New Orleans’ popular French Quarter.

FBI agents are now leading the investigation suspected terrorist attack on Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday as people celebrated the start of the new year.

In addition to ringing in the new year, tens of thousands of University of Georgia and Notre Dame fans descended on New Orleans to attend the Allstate Sugar Bowl, one of this year’s College Football Playoff games. A parade was held in the French Quarter at 14:00 local time on New Year’s Eve, which featured marching bands, floats and dance groups.

The parade helped kick off the city’s New Year’s celebrations as well as the big matchup at Caeser’s Superdome, which was scheduled to kick off on Wednesday evening.

But as the FBI investigates the incident, the public has been asked to stay away from Bourbon Street as it has now become a grisly crime scene.

What is the status of the game?

The match has been postponed until Thursday 2 January.

“All parties agree that it is in everyone’s best interest and for public safety that we postpone the game for 24 hours,” Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley said during a news conference.

The game was originally scheduled to begin at 19:45 local time on New Year’s Day inside Caesars Superdome.

In the hours after the attack, Hundley said the organization was coordinating with local and federal officials on whether to stick to the schedule.

“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the horrific events of early this morning,” Hundley said in a statement shared with The independent. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.”

What have officials said?

Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said at a news conference Wednesday morning that she wanted the city and its visitors to “continue to enjoy” New Orleans despite the horrific attack.

“We want to make sure our routes and our Superdome are safe today for the game, and yet we had this tragic event and we’re sorry to everybody, but we want you to go all day, just stay off Bourbon Street,” she said.

The NFL also released a statement in the wake of the tragedy. The Sugar Bowl will be played in the Caesars Superdome, where the Sugar Bowl is also held.

“We are deeply saddened by the news of the devastating incident in New Orleans. Our thoughts go out to the victims, the New Orleans community and all those affected. The NFL and the local host committee have worked with local, state and federal agencies over the past two years and have developed comprehensive security plans,” the league said. “These planning sessions will continue, as they do with all major NFL events, and we are confident that attendees will have a safe and enjoyable Super Bowl experience.”

Republican Sen. John Neely Kennedy of Louisiana said it was “wise” for officials to delay.

“There’s just too many things we don’t know and it’s just not worth it,” he said during a news conference Wednesday.

Who is playing?

The 91st annual Sugar Bowl will feature the SEC champion and No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs and no. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

This game is a quarterfinal game in the College Football Playoff, which is in its first year of an expanded 12-team format. Notre Dame beat the Indiana Hoosiers in the first round to face the Bulldogs, who received a bye.

The winner of this game advances to the semifinal round next week to face No. 6 Penn State at the Orange Bowl in Miami Lakes, Florida.

Other bowl games respond

The Tournament of Roses and the city of Pasadena, Calif. — ahead of Wednesday’s Rose Parade and Rose Bowl — said in a statement Wednesday that they “send our deepest sympathies to the people of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans following the tragic events of this morning.”

Pasadena added that it stood “in solidarity with the entire state at this difficult time” and assured visitors and fans that the city is undergoing months of preparation for its New Year’s Day parade and has a “hard shutdown of vehicles along the entire Parade route in In addition to much robust vehicle barriers at intersections.”

The Atlanta Police Department also responded by noting it would increase security ahead of Wednesday’s Peach Bowl.

“We acknowledge the concerns raised following the events earlier this morning in New Orleans, LA. Prior to the Peach Bowl, the Atlanta Police Department had already implemented increased security measures, including the deployment of additional officers,” the department said. “In light of today’s developments and as an additional security measure, specialized units and additional personnel will be further deployed to the Downtown and Midtown areas to ensure the continued safety and security of residents and visitors.”