College football game days are about more than what happens on the field. The marching band, cheerleaders, and team mascot all help create the atmosphere that fans look forward to every week. But for one SEC program, the usual game-day support will be missing after an unexpected travel disruption left several students unable to make the trip for Saturday’s matchup.

The problem began on Friday, November 13, when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily grounded flights across the country. The decision affected travel plans for several college football teams heading out for their Week 11 games.

“Due to yesterday’s FAA nationwide ground stop, Cocky, our cheerleaders and most of the Carolina Band scheduled to travel were unable to make it to Fayetteville for today’s game. These students have all made it back home and will be cheering on the Gamecocks from Columbia,” South Carolina Gamecocks wrote recently on X.

Having Cocky and the Carolina Band missing from the sidelines is a big deal for a program built on pageantry and loud support. Even on the road in hostile SEC stadiums, the band’s fight song and Cocky’s energy give the visiting section its identity and keep players fired up during tough stretches. Without them in Fayetteville, the Gamecocks had to play in a tough environment without the familiar sights and sounds that usually travel with the team.

South Carolina was not the only school caught up in the disruption. The FAA announced the nationwide ground stop at around 3:54 p.m. ET on Friday after problems with its air traffic control communication system raised concerns. Flights across the country were held on the ground for several hours, leaving teams and passengers waiting for updates.

The restriction was lifted at around 8:15 p.m. ET, but that did not mean every team could simply continue with its original travel plans. With Saturday games approaching, some programs had very little time to arrange new flights or find another way to reach their destinations.

The Southeastern Conference addressed the situation in a statement on Friday evening. The conference said it was speaking with its member schools to understand how the disruption could affect the weekend’s games and whether any changes would be needed.

“The Southeastern Conference is aware of the FAA’s nationwide ground stop and the potential impact on team travel for this weekend’s competitions,” the conference said.

The SEC also explained that it was staying in touch with its schools to work through the situation. It added that the “safety and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, and team personnel remain our highest priority.” The conference said it would continue to monitor developments before deciding whether any games needed to be adjusted.

Several SEC teams had trouble reaching their destinations on Friday. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Ole Miss, Texas, and Tennessee had yet to arrive at their respective locations as the ground stop continued.

Texas was scheduled to face LSU in Baton Rouge, while Tennessee was preparing for its matchup against Texas A&M in College Station. Both teams eventually managed to travel after making changes to their plans. Texas had already boarded its charter when the FAA announcement came through. The players got off the plane and returned to campus before taking off again later that night. The team reached Baton Rouge around 11:30 p.m. CT.

Tennessee also returned to campus before heading back to the airport and flying to College Station. Its game against Texas A&M remained on schedule.

Ole Miss, however, could not make it to Norman in time for its Saturday game against Oklahoma. The SEC eventually moved the matchup to Sunday, November 15, with a new kickoff time of 1 p.m. ET. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday at 4:15 p.m. ET.

The decision did not sit well with Oklahoma. Athletic director Roger Denny said the university had been in contact with Ole Miss and conference officials while trying to find a way to keep the game on Saturday. He also claimed that SEC commissioner Greg Sankey informed Oklahoma that the team would forfeit if it refused to play on Sunday. Denny pointed out that the change would cause problems for fans who had already made travel and accommodation plans.

Other teams also had to adjust. Auburn chose to travel by bus to Mississippi State, and the SEC pushed that game’s kickoff back by more than four hours.

What Caused the FAA Ground Stop?

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy explained on Saturday that the disruption began during routine maintenance at a remote FAA facility. A contractor was replacing older copper communication lines with fiber when a router being changed during the work overloaded other routers in the system.

The problem affected communication with aircraft and some radar information. Officials were still investigating whether the router was faulty or had been installed incorrectly.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said around 12,000 flights did not take off on Friday night. Although flights were allowed to resume, passengers continued to face delays and cancellations on Saturday. Airlines expected their schedules to return to normal by the end of Sunday.

For the Gamecocks, the travel disruption means Saturday’s trip to Arkansas will look a little different. Cocky, the cheerleaders, and most of the Carolina Band will not be there to support the team in person. Instead, they will be following the action from back home in Columbia.

The disruption should only be a one-game issue for South Carolina’s spirit squads. With airlines expecting flight schedules to return to normal by Sunday night, the travel mess will not affect next week’s slate. Plus, the Gamecocks return home to Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia on November 21 for Senior Day against Georgia, meaning Cocky, the cheerleaders, and the full Carolina Band will not need to fly and will be back on the sidelines at full strength.

Their next road trip is a short bus ride to Clemson on November 28 to close out the regular season.