East Coast teams prepare for possibility of Hurricane Joaquin
-- Hurricane Joaquin -- upgraded to a Category 4 storm -- bore down Thursday on the central and eastern Bahamas, with the storm projected to turn toward the U.S. on Friday.
Forecasters were still gathering data to determine how it might affect the East Coast, which was already suffering flooding and heavy rains from separate storms. The heaviest rain is expected in wide swaths of North Carolina and Virginia, along with parts of Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey, according to a National Weather Service forecast map. The National Weather Service issued flash flood watches for Washington, D.C., northern Virginia, southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore from Friday morning through late Saturday.
Sports teams and leagues were monitoring the storm heading into the weekend's events.
Kickoff for the Nebraska-Illinois game has been moved from 3:30 p.m. to 4:02 p.m. as a result of the shifting schedule.
An ACC representative said the conference and its institutions are monitoring the forecast for Saturday's games but that it's still too early to know how much will be affected. The representative said every effort will be made to play the games as long as the safety of players, teams and fans is not compromised.
"We're preparing to play on Sunday," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said Thursday. "There's been nothing definitive in terms of what's going on. If the plans change, we'll adjust accordingly. But there's been nothing told to us."
Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins said he might soak the football in a bucket of water before taking snaps and throwing during practice Thursday and Friday to prepare for possible heavy rain.
"The best strategy is to literally dump it in a bucket," Cousins said. "It's kind of overkill, but it's probably your best option."
Information from ESPN's John Keim, Joe Schad, Phil Sheridan and Darren Rovell and The Associated Press was used in this report.
Kickoff for the Nebraska-Illinois game has been moved from 3:30 p.m. to 4:02 p.m. as a result of the shifting schedule.
An ACC representative said the conference and its institutions are monitoring the forecast for Saturday's games but that it's still too early to know how much will be affected. The representative said every effort will be made to play the games as long as the safety of players, teams and fans is not compromised.
"We're preparing to play on Sunday," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said Thursday. "There's been nothing definitive in terms of what's going on. If the plans change, we'll adjust accordingly. But there's been nothing told to us."
Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins said he might soak the football in a bucket of water before taking snaps and throwing during practice Thursday and Friday to prepare for possible heavy rain.
"The best strategy is to literally dump it in a bucket," Cousins said. "It's kind of overkill, but it's probably your best option."
Information from ESPN's John Keim, Joe Schad, Phil Sheridan and Darren Rovell and The Associated Press was used in this report.
Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins said he might soak the football in a bucket of water before taking snaps and throwing during practice Thursday and Friday to prepare for possible heavy rain.
"The best strategy is to literally dump it in a bucket," Cousins said. "It's kind of overkill, but it's probably your best option."
Information from ESPN's John Keim, Joe Schad, Phil Sheridan and Darren Rovell and The Associated Press was used in this report.