Overview
- The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, citing a temporary telecommunications problem at Air Route Traffic Control Centers that halted departures across U.S. airports.
- Minnesota’s Sun Country charter was grounded after the team boarded in Minneapolis, the squad returned to campus, and staff reorganized travel to depart about 8:30 a.m. Saturday and reach State College roughly seven hours before kickoff.
- The Big Ten and Minnesota consulted with Penn State and the game remained scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. CT on FS1, with conference officials monitoring contingency options if conditions changed.
- Minnesota also entered the game missing key defensive pieces with starting tackles Riley Sunram and Theorin Randle ruled out and veteran cornerback John Nestor listed as a true game‑time decision, forcing heavier reliance on depth players.
- Nationwide ground stops are very rare, with coverage noting past incidents in January 2023 and on 9/11, and the Big Ten said only two conference games were affected by Friday’s halt, highlighting how FAA telecom failures can quickly force travel and scheduling disruptions.