Florida State providing tickets for football game vs. Wake Forest to Hurricane Ian evacuees

Doak Campbell Stadium could end up being packed when Florida State faces Wake Forest on Saturday in Tallahassee, Florida.

FSU athletic director Michael Alford announced Thursday afternoon that the athletic department is making tickets available for in-state Hurricane Ian evacuees.

The No. 23 Seminoles (4-0, 2-0 ACC) are still expected to kickoff against the No. 22 Demon Deacons (3-1, 0-1) at 3:30 p.m., with ABC nationally broadcasting the game.

As of Wednesday night, FSU sold approximately 66,000 tickets for the game. FSU announced Thursday evening that its 16,000-ticket allotment for its students has sold out. A sellout at FSU is considered 79,560.

"We are making tickets available to Saturday's football game to Floridians displaced by Hurricane Ian," Alford said in a statement.

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"Floridians can claim up to four tickets courtesy of Florida State athletics by showing their state of Florida ID at the Dick Howser Ticket Office (baseball stadium) on Saturday beginning at 11:30 a.m."

Jack Chatham, FSU's assistant athletic director of ticket operations and service, told the Democrat that he does not project the game to be a sellout but expects the crowd to be "very strong."

"We are not going to be overly sensitive about it. We are not going to question people," said Chatham on how they will assess who qualifies for free tickets.

"We are going to ask that people don't take advantage of this and allow the tickets we've got allotted for these folks to actually be used to give them a good experience at a time when they are already experiencing a lot of loss and sadness.

"If they could refrain from taking those tickets, that would be good."

Hurricane Ian may be Florida's deadliest ever

President Joe Biden said Thursday that Ian could be the "deadliest hurricane in Florida's history" and approved a major disaster declaration for the state. Gov. Ron DeSantis said Ian – which is now considered a tropical storm – caused a "500-year flooding event."

The Big Bend and Panhandle are expected to be safe from Ian. A sunny afternoon with zero chance of rain and temperatures in the mid-80s is expected for FSU's game against Wake Forest.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State giving Wake Forest tickets to hurricane evacuees