Newz Forum: OTHER: Hurricane Frances disrupts Sporting Calendar

Hurricane Frances has already had a big impact on the sports schedule even before it makes landfall. The Florida State-Miami showdown has been postponed, as has a key Cubs-Marlins matchup.

Authorities in the U.S. state of Florida have urged more than a million coastal residents to evacuate before Hurricane Frances is expected to strike on Friday. The storm with winds of 230 kilometers an hour struck the Bahamas on Thursday. Hurricane Frances is the second hurricane to strike Florida in less than a month.

In the NFL, the Miami Dolphins said Thursday they were still planning to travel to New Orleans for Friday's preseason finale with the Saints, but that could change. Players are concerned about leaving their families behind.

Florida State and Miami will still play in prime time, just four days later than planned. The nationally televised game, originally scheduled for Monday night, was postponed Thursday as Hurricane Frances moved closer to Florida's east coast. No. 11 Florida's opener against Middle Tennessee State on Saturday also was rescheduled. The game between the No. 5 Seminoles and the No. 6 Hurricanes will be played next Friday night at the Orange Bowl.

Frances, packing winds of 145 mph, is expected to hit the state late Friday or early Saturday. More than a million people threatened were told to clear out Thursday, and residents scrambled to board up homes and stock up on water ahead of what could be Florida's mightiest storm in a decade.

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[Edited on 2/9/04 by TRD]