Hurricane Florence Causes UGA To Move Up Saturday's Game

ATHENS, GA -- Hurricane Florence has caused the UGA Bulldogs to move up the game time for Saturday's contest in Athens against Middle Tennessee State. On Thursday, the UGA Athletic Association said the game will now kick off at noon instead of 7:15 pm, as originally scheduled. The move was made, according to the association, "after extensive evaluation involving the uncertainty of weather conditions on the east coast, and consideration of all constituencies involved including fans, support staff, and law enforcement."

Millions of people along the Southeastern seaboard have been evacuated as the downgraded category 2 storm approaches landfill, with local forecasters expecting Florence to be a tropical depression by the time it reaches Georgia. As of 5 am Thursday, the storm was slowing down as it approached the Carolina coast, with Florence's outer bands of rain already reaching North Carolina. The National Hurricane Center is warning of life-threatening storm surges and flooding.

All 159 Georgia counties remain under a state of emergency, as Gov. Nathan Deal and other Georgia officials are preparing for any residual impact from the storm.

Local forecasters say rain will likely be Florence's impact on the state, with WSB-TV Meteorologist Brad Nitz predicting by the time the storm reaches Georgia late Sunday night or early Monday, only northeast Georgia will feel any effect.

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More Georgia Patch Coverage Of Hurricane Florence

• Hurricane Florence Slowing, Expected To Bring Rain To Georgia
• Hurricane Florence: Free U-Haul Storage At 6 Georgia Locations
• Gov. Deal Issues Emergency Declarations For All Counties
• Airbnb Activates Open Homes Program In ATL For Florence Evacuees
• Atlanta Motor Speedway Opening Campgrounds To Florence Evacuees
• Georgia Not Expected To Feel Florence's Wrath, If It Doesn't Turn
• Animals Being Brought To Atlanta Before Hurricane Florence

ATLANTIC BEACH, NC - SEPTEMBER 13: Water rolls up the beach near the Oceana Pier at high tide as the outer edges of Hurricane Florence being to affect the coast September 13, 2018 in Atlantic Beach, United States. Coastal cities in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virgnian are under evacuation orders as the Category 2 hurricane approaches the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)