The threat of a volcanic eruption could jeopardize the upcoming Penn State-UCF football game in Dublin, Ireland.
Every part of that sentence sounds ridiculous, but, yes, the Nittany Lions and Knights are scheduled to play a random, non-conference game in Ireland next weekend, and, yes, the Icelandic volcano Bárðarbunga could put a damper on those plans.
The volcano, which is located beneath Iceland’s largest glacier, hasn’t erupted in more than 100 years, but recent seismic activity has led experts to believe that soon could change. The last eruption of an Icelandic volcano, in 2010, spewed enough ash into the atmosphere to result in the cancellation of more than 100,000 flights to and from Europe.
“Presently there are no signs of eruption, but it cannot be excluded that the current activity will result in an explosive subglacial eruption, leading to an outburst flood and ash emission,” Iceland’s Met Office said in a statement, via The Independent.
The teams are scheduled to arrive in Ireland on Wednesday, Aug. 27. Officials at Penn State are “aware of the recent seismic activity,” according to Travis Johnson of the Centre Daily Times.
The Nittany Lions, who are entering their first season under new head coach James Franklin, finished the 2013 campaign with a record of 7-5. UCF, meanwhile, is coming off the most successful season in program history. The Knights rode quarterback Blake Bortles — now with the Jacksonville Jaguars — to a 12-1 record and a Fiesta Bowl win over Baylor.
Hat tip to Slate
Photo via Twitter/@EyeOnCFB
