Ike deals a big blow to Gulf Coast sports
With Hurricane Ike surging toward Texas, three more college football games had to be rescheduled.
In all, about 20 sports events have been affected, including the first two baseball games of a weekend series between the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs and Sunday's NFL game between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens.
No makeup dates were set for baseball, giving the streaking Astros an unexpected two days off. The NFL game was shifted to Monday night.
Ike made landfall at 3 a.m. Saturday, lashing the city of Galveston, but it headed northeast toward Arkansas and away from Houston. But the hurricane already buffeting the Gulf Coast with 105 mph winds and causing flooding in areas still recovering from Hurricane Gustav.
That prompted the postponement of a Saturday night game, with defending Division II national champion Valdosta State that was to have played at Southern Arkansas. No new date was set.
Louisiana-Monroe moved up its nonconference home game against Alabama A&M to Friday night from Saturday night. Grambling State's game at Northwestern State was moved back a day to Sunday.
The WNBA game in Houston Friday between the Comets and Sacramento Monarchs was postponed.
In other college sports, a cross-country meet at Texas A&M was postponed until Sept. 19, with soccer games involving West Texas A&M, St. Mary's University and Abilene Christian also affected.
Stephen F. Austin, Texas Southern and Houston Baptist canceled or postponed all weekend sports activities.
