The game would have been the biggest in the history of the Athletic Programs at Arkansas State and the biggest event in the history of Jonesboro which has a population of 70,000 and is 70 miles Northwest of Memphis. The Miami Hurricanes decision to cancel the game brought about a lot of debate.
Arkansas State gave the Miami Hurricanes some alternatives to playing the game at the originally scheduled time. They offered to move the game up Friday night, but Miami was concerned they would not be able to make it back home in time.
There was a very real possibility that UM would have had to stay in Jonesboro, Memphis or somewhere else in the region.