Appalachian State vs. Liberty game canceled due to Hurricane Helene

Appalachian State and Liberty have made the decision to cancel their Week 5 game due to the ongoing effects of Hurricane Helene. Per a statement from App State, the game will not be rescheduled.

The move comes two days after North Carolina governor Roy Cooper issued a state of emergency, warning residents about "heavy rain, flash flooding, landslides and damaging winds" as Helene made landfall. Millions across the state are currently without power, and Boone — home to App State — has seen severe flooding.

Given the state of the campus right now, it's hard to imagine thinking about, let alone playing, a football game.

Impact of App State-Liberty cancellation

That said, the cancellation could have real football implications moving forward.

App State is off to a disappointing start this season, with losses to Clemson and South Alabama leaving them with a 2-2 record. They were hoping to turn things around with an upset of a Liberty squad that has its sights set on the automatic Group of Five bid to the new 12-team College Football Playoff.

Liberty's schedule is once again relatively weak on paper, and a road win against the Mountaineers represented a rare chance at a feather in the Flames' cap as they hope to impress the CFP committee down the line.

The Flames are 4-0 having beaten Campbell, New Mexico State, UTEP and East Carolina. The remainder of the schedule includes Florida International, Kennesaw State, Jacksonville State, Middle Tennessee, UMass, Western Kentucky and Sam Houston.

Liberty athletic director Ian McCaw has already told reporters that he's looking to add a 12th game back to the Flames' schedule, although that will obviously be tricky midseason. If Liberty doesn't play a full slate, it could affect how the committee views their candidacy as compared to other Group of Five powers like Boise State.