FAA Ground Stop Grounds Texas Longhorns, Leaves Aggies Waiting on Tennessee

AUSTIN, TX — A nationwide FAA ground stop issued Friday afternoon has grounded the Texas Longhorns and left the Texas A&M Aggies waiting to see whether their visiting opponent can reach College Station, disrupting travel for two of the state’s highest-profile college football programs less than 24 hours before kickoff.

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered all departing flights grounded around 3:54 p.m. ET (2:54 p.m. CT) Friday due to a communications issue affecting Air Route Traffic Control Centers nationwide. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the problem on social media, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication of a nefarious act—describing it as a telecommunications outage. It is only the second nationwide ground stop since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks (the prior one occurred in January 2023).

Texas Longhorns: Sitting on the Tarmac in Austin

No. 6 Texas was already on the tarmac in Austin with its plane loaded when the stoppage hit, according to multiple reports. The Longhorns are scheduled to face No. 21 LSU at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.

Sources told CBS Sports and On3 that the team returned to campus for its normal meetings while monitoring the situation. As of Friday evening, the plan was to fly out later if the order is lifted. A bus ride remains a viable backup: Austin to Baton Rouge is roughly 430–435 miles and about 6.5–7 hours by road. The late kickoff gives the Longhorns more flexibility than most teams if they must travel by ground Friday night.

Texas Tech, by contrast, had already arrived at its destination ahead of a late game at Oklahoma State.

Texas A&M: Tennessee Still in Knoxville

The Aggies’ situation is more complicated. No. 8 Tennessee was scheduled to depart Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport at 4 p.m. ET for what would have been its longest road trip of the season to face Texas A&M at 2 p.m. CT Saturday at Kyle Field.

The Vols were grounded and, according to On3, later left the airport to return to their football facility for dinner while awaiting further instructions. Driving from Knoxville to College Station is approximately 950–970 miles and 15 hours or more—making a same-day bus trip far less practical than the Longhorns’ options. No official word had emerged by Friday evening on whether the kickoff time might shift or if the game could be postponed.

Broader Impact Across College Football

The stoppage has affected numerous other programs. Ole Miss, Utah, Washington, Minnesota, Baylor, Kansas State, Arizona State, and others were also grounded or scrambling for alternatives. Some teams, including Auburn and Purdue, opted to bus to their destinations. Many others, including Missouri, Florida, Northwestern, and Wake Forest, had already landed before the order took effect.

As of Friday evening, neither the NCAA nor the conferences had issued formal guidance on potential schedule changes. The situation remains fluid, with teams monitoring FAA updates while preparing contingency plans. For San Angelo and Concho Valley fans who follow both the Longhorns and Aggies closely, Saturday’s SEC slate now carries an added layer of uncertainty around travel and readiness.