Big rains expected for big games

With heavy rain predicted in the Carolinas and Georgia, some big college football games are likely to get messy on Saturday.

The National Weather Service says, “All the ingredients are in place for a rainfall event of historic proportions across the area.” NOAA is calling it a “1 in 1,000-year event.”

Of the big games, No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 12 Clemson and No. 13 Alabama at No. 8 Georgia are almost certainly going to be played in fairly substantial rain.

The Tigers and Fighting Irish kick off at 8 p.m. with three to five inches expected during the day and another one to two inches on Saturday night.

Thursday night, Clemson officials said they had no plans to postpone the game, and ESPN’s “College GameDay” will be broadcasting from the school’s campus as planned.

National Weather Center meteorologist Ryan Willis told AL.com the heaviest rain will be falling when the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs kick off at 3:30 p.m., with two to three inches possible.

Here are some other games that could get messy: Maryland vs. Michigan, noon; Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh, noon; N.C. State vs. Louisville, 12:30; Duke vs. Boston College, 3:30; Wake Forest vs. No. 11 Florida State, 3:30; Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina, 3:30; Navy vs. Air Force, 3:30; Tennessee vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m.

From Staff and Wire Reports