Is the Sugar Bowl canceled? Police Superintendent drops final verdict after New Orleans' deadly attack

The Sugar Bowl will not go ahead as planned this Wednesday night in New Orleans in the wake of the Bourbon Street mass casualty incident during New Year's celebrations. At least 10 people died when a pickup truck intentionally drove into a crowd on Bourbon Street.

According to USA Today, the 2025 Sugar Bowl is postponed until Thursday at 4 p.m. ET.

Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department Anne Kirkpatrick initially confirmed that the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame will be played tonight at the Caesars Superdome. However, the authorities have decided to postpone in light of the alleged terror attack. The FBI has taken control of the investigations in New Orleans.

The perpetrator was seen with an ISIS flag at the time of the incident and explosive devices were found on the pickup truck, according to CNN.

According to ABC News, the attacker was 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar and the authorities are currently trying to determine when he entered the country and whether he had any link to ISIS or other terror organizations.

Superintendent Kirkpatrick said about the incident:

"He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did, it was very intentional behavior. This man was trying to run over as many people as he could."

Security has been ramped up for the Sugar Bowl and the Peach Bowl, also occurring today at Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

President Biden releases statement concerning potential terror attack in New Orleans ahead of the Sugar Bowl

President Joe Biden spoke Wednesday with reporters in Delaware about the potential terror attack in New Orleans:

"My heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday," Biden said in a statement. "There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation's communities."

The CEO of the Sugar Bowl, Jeff Hundley, released a statement of his own, sending his condolences to the family who suffered losses:

"The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available."

The Sugar Bowl will be aired on ESPN.