Florida cancels game vs. Northern Colorado

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- No. 22 Florida has canceled its home opener against Northern Colorado because of impending Hurricane Irma.

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin says it "become obvious that playing a football game is not the right thing to do."

The game will not be made up.

Officials initially moved the start time from 7:30 p.m. Saturday to noon, but Stricklin says it became clear that getting to and from the game would create more problems for a state preparing for a Category 5 hurricane.

Stricklin says "the focus of our state and region needs to be on evacuations and relief efforts. There is a tremendous amount of stress currently on the roads of this state, and the availability of gas, water and other supplies are at critical levels. Playing a college football game Saturday would only add to that stress."