To see video of the damage, click here.
To see photos of the damage, click here.Athletic Director Joe Alleva said safety in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav was the deciding factor in postponing Saturday’s 7 p.m. football game in Tiger Stadium.The Athletic Department announced Wednesday that the Tigers’ game against Troy has been rescheduled to Nov. 15, an open date for both teams.”You’ll see that our stadium suffered a lot of damage,” he said in a meeting with reporters. “There were windows blown out. We don’t know the condition of the scoreboard and the lighting system. We haven’t been able to turn the power on.”Alleva said Tiger Stadium may not be powered until Saturday or Sunday.He said several options were considered for playing the game this weekend, including possibly relocating to the Superdome. “We looked into some options, but they weren’t really realistic,” he said. “They weren’t feasible in multiple ways, both logistically and financially.”Troy coach Larry Blakeney said he sympathizes with the Tigers’ plight and is looking forward to the Nov. 15 game. Tickets for this weekend’s game can be used for the Nov. 15 contest.”They just said that certain things couldn’t get done in time for the game,” Blakeney said. “I’m sure they were very disappointed. I don’t know all the reasons, but I’m sure they were good reasons.”A media tour of the Tiger Stadium showed significant damage to the west side awnings and seating.Ronnie Haliburton, associate athletic director of athletics facilities and grounds, said he remains confident the stadium can be ready to go for the Sept. 13 home game against North Texas.”We’re going to get it done,” he said. “We’re going to get it together.”Haliburton said swirling winds inside the stadium likely caused much of the damage, such as tears to the scoreboard and aluminum benches being tossed into the stands.Alleva said a tour of damage to other facilities, including the LSU Natatorium, Maddox Field House and Soccer Complex, was a sobering experience.”My first thought was, ‘Thank God, no one seriously got hurt,” he said. “Buildings are buildings, and they can be fixed. But people’s lives cannot be fixed.”The LSU football team practiced this afternoon, and coach Les Miles is expected to address the media at 6 p.m.Alleva said Miles is obviously disappointed about the game’s postponement.”From a coaching standpoint and a players’ standpoint, the ideal thing is to play the game at 7 p.m [Saturday],” he said. “He was terrific to work with. He understands.”Weekend events for the LSU soccer and volleyball teams have also been canceled.The soccer team was scheduled to face Kent State on Friday and Dartmouth on Sunday. The volleyball team was scheduled to host Southeast Missouri State, Rice and Louisiana Tech in the Tiger Classic.—-Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected].