Texas Longhorns Cleared for New Takeoff Time After FAA Lifts Ground Stoppage

The Texas Longhorns were set to fly out of Austin on Friday for their trip to Baton Rouge ahead of this weekend's matchup with the LSU Tigers.

However, as the Longhorns were getting ready for takeoff, the FAA announced a nationwide ground stoppage of all flights in the U.S. This forced the team to deplane and head back to campus.

But a little over 4 1/2 hours later, the FAA officially lifted the ground stoppage, allowing Texas to re-chart a course to Baton Rouge after being forced to alter the team's travel plans.

Texas Set to Take Off From Austin on Friday Night

Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian during the first half against the Florida Gators at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Longhorns are set to take off from Austin to Baton Rouge at 10:17 p.m. CT on Friday, according to American Airlines and FlightRadar.com.

Flights from Austin to Baton Rouge or New Orleans are short. Once the team takes off, it should only be about 90 minutes or so until they land.

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Assuming that the FAA doesn't issue a second stoppage before then, all signs point to Texas being able to make it to Baton Rouge at some point tonight. Despite the delay, it presumably wouldn't have any impact on the current 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff time from Tiger Stadium on Saturday night.

While many commercial flights around the country will likely still face some delays as new takeoff times get sorted out, Texas football's charter flight allows the team to leave Austin without much concern now that the stoppage has been lifted. Once they're in the air, a potential second stoppage would likely not have an impact on the plane's ability to land in Baton Rouge.

Expect more updates to roll in throughout the evening and into tomorrow morning.

SEC Releases Statement

While Texas' new takeoff time is great news, the SEC said in a statement that it is closely monitoring the situation, which could impact teams across the conference.

Despite the FAA ground stoppage being lifted, the SEC will likely keep close tabs on any further updates or potential issues.

"We are in close communication with our member institutions to assess potential disruptions and coordinate appropriate responses," the SEC said in a statement. "The safety and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, and team personnel remain our highest priority. ... We will continue to monitor developments and work with our institutions to determine whether any adjustments to scheduled competitions become necessary."

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