Tulane Green Wave vs Rice Owls kickoff delayed to 3:30 p.m. after FAA ground stop

Kickoff time shifted after nationwide flight halt

The Tulane Green Wave’s football game against the Rice Owls, originally set for a 1 p.m. CST start on Saturday, November 14, 2026, was moved to 3:30 p.m. CST. The change followed a Federal Aviation Administration ground stop that halted domestic air travel on Friday afternoon.

Because the ground stop prevented Tulane’s scheduled flight from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, the team boarded buses for a roughly 347‑mile trip to Houston. The Green Wave left campus at 7:30 p.m. and was expected to arrive in Houston between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. local time, prompting officials to push the game back by two and a half hours.

The matchup took place at Rice’s venue in Houston, not at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium.

During the game, Tulane’s #21 D.Dugar Jr. recorded a 1‑yard rushing touchdown with 3:08 remaining on the clock. The extra‑point attempt by #35 C. Helmke was successful.

Both programs remain in the American Conference, and the adjusted kickoff time ensured the contest could proceed despite the travel disruption.