ATLANTA, Ga. — Alabama athletics told fans for Saturday Georgia game at Bryant-Denny Stadium to be in line no later than 5 p.m. CT because heightened security will change the entry and screening process.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. CT, 2.5 hours prior to kickoff, to help accommodate longer screening. Ticketholders were urged to download mobile tickets early and review the updated stadium map showing designated security checkpoints for seating areas.
Fans should be prepared to remove all items from pockets and any pinned-on buttons or larger jewelry before entering, similar to airport security. Shoes and belts can remain on during screening. If someone sets off the walkthrough metal detector, a wand will be used to the side.
The advice comes as Tropical Storm Isaias tracks toward a Gulf Coast landfall and is projected to move through Tuscaloosa on Saturday morning ahead of the 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff. Forecast products have cited an 80 percent chance of rain during the day in Tuscaloosa.
College GameDay is moving its pregame show inside Coleman Coliseum, with doors scheduled to open at 5:30 a.m. CT, because of weather safety concerns. Alabama and Georgia still plan to play as scheduled, though kickoff time could shift.
Fans were told non-essentials should be left at home or in vehicles and to check prohibited-item lists before traveling. For Georgia fans making the trip west, the earlier arrival window and extra screening add travel time on a weekend already complicated by the storm system spreading heavy rain inland across the Southeast this weekend.
