Sugar Bowl postponed after New Orleans tragedy: Everything to know for Notre Dame-Georgia

The Sugar Bowl scheduled for New Year's Day at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome at 8:45 p.m. ET has reportedly been postponed following the attack and tragedy in New Orleans on Wednesday morning. The Georgia Bulldogs and Notre Dame Fighting Irish teams are in the city and, according to reports, no players or members of either coaching staff were harmed in the attack.

In the early hours of Jan. 1, a white truck maneuvered around a barricade and only a celebratory Bourbon Street in the French Quarter when the driver then exited the vehicle and began opening fire. The attack tragically left 10 people confirmed dead and more than two dozen others injured. The attacker was pronounced dead at the scene after a shootout with law enforcement.

In the wake of the attack, there were questions about the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame and it seemed as if the game would go on as normal. That has since changed according to reports out of New Orleans.

Sugar Bowl postponed according to local reports in New Orleans

Local news stations first reported that the Sugar Bowl was postponed, which ABC News then confirmed on their national reporting from New Orleans.

Sugar Bowl representatives had released a statement earlier on Wednesday indicating that they were working with local and national law enforcement in addition to city officials to figure out the next steps for the game. Obviously, they landed on postponing the game being the best course of action following the tragic attack in New Orleans.

This, of course, is unprecedented in the CFP, so there could also be considerations about if there are any further postponements or schedule adjustments with the forthcoming Playoff games as the semifinals loom in just over a week.

What time is the Sugar Bowl tomorrow between Notre Dame and UGA?

The Sugar Bowl game between Notre Dame and Georgia will be played on Thursday, Jan. 2 with a 4 p.m. ET kickoff, which was confirmed by Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley and the start time reported by ESPN.

However, ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel reported that the Sugar Bowl Committee is currently discussing an earlier start time for the game between the Fighting Irish and Bulldogs on Thursday. The game was initially slated to kick off at 8:45 p.m. ET on New Year's Day. However, with the winner of the Sugar Bowl set to play Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 9, both Georgia and Notre Dame are reportedly concerned about the rest between games and would prefer even the extra hours to recover that would be given with an earlier start time.

ESPN's Pete Thamel initially reported that there has not been an official date set just yet for the postponed game. He did note that Jan. 2 is still up for discussion but described the current talks about the new date as being "fluid".

Investigators reportedly still looking for suspects involved with attack

The Associated Press reported on Wednesday afternoon that investigators have "reviewed video" that shows three men and one woman who were connected to the driver of the truck placing explosives in New Orleans' French Quarter.

The FBI is also reportedly still searching for these suspects connected to the attack. That could be a potential reason behind why there is still uncertainty about the plan for the postponed Sugar Bowl game as the results of the investigation and search for these connected suspects still on the loose continues.

Georgia and Notre Dame teams under 'shelter in place' in New Orleans

Before the reports that the game will be postponed, it was reported that both the Georgia and Notre Dame teams have been put under "shelter in place" orders at the team hotels in New Orleans, as Laura Rutledge reported for ESPN on the Bulldogs and as school officials confirmed for the Fighting Irish, per Matt Fortuna of The Inside Zone.

Once those reports came out, the status of the Sugar Bowl being played definitely became in doubt, as it should be. The safety of the fans and players alike should be of the utmost importance in a time like this, so it's better to be cautious whenever possible.

Georgia president releases statement after student injured in attack

Also in the aftermath of the attack in New Orleans, University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead released a statement that confirmed that a UGA student was "critically injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment". Morehead also expressed that the university will be doing whatever it can to support the student, the family of the student and the community affected in New Orleans.

This is a developing story that will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.