Hurricane forces UTEP’s opponent to change travel plans

If everything goes as planned, UTEP will play Florida-International at 6 p.m. Saturday at Sun Bowl Stadium.

Hurricane Matthew, however, forced the Panthers to change their travel plans. Instead of flying out of Miami, the football team will drive to Fort Myers about noon Friday and fly out of there, UTEP officials said.

FIU, which his located west of downtown Miami, closed at 5 p.m. Wednesday and won’t reopen for the rest of the work week.

In a newsletter to students, staff and faculty, the university said, “All classes, including online classes, concerts, home games and other events are canceled.”

Hurricane Matthew was upgraded to a category 4 hurricane Thursday morning, with maximum wind speeds at 140 mph. As the powerful hurricane approached the southeast coast of Florida, hurricane warnings were issued from the east coast of Florida to the southern coast of South Carolina. St. Augustine, Fla., reported a midday total of 1.12 inches of rain. Cocos Beach, Fla., recorded wind gusts of 41 mph. The remnants of a frontal boundary kept showers and thunderstorms in the picture for parts of the southern Mid-Atlantic.

In a tweet, FIU Athletics said, “wishing everyone to stay safe during this storm #HurricaneMathew.”