Fans chant 'USA' at Sugar Bowl following moment of silence remembering those killed in terrorist attack

Following a moment of silence for the victims of a deadly terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Years Day, fans at the Sugar Bowl broke out in a spontaneous “USA” chant.

It was a moment of solidarity that was much needed after a horrific past 36 hours.

Get your team’s official College Football Playoff watch from AXIA by CLICKING HERE: “Watches that tell so much more than time”

You can check out the touching moment below.

Chants of USA, USA break out at the end of the Star Spangled Banner pic.twitter.com/cKhM98vfqD

— Radi Nabulsi (@RadiNabulsi) January 2, 2025

The SEC Network was broadcasting before and after the moment of silence, the USA chants and the national anthem and returned to discuss the general feeling in the Superdome on Thursday.

The people of New Orleans got a special nod, no strangers to tragedies like Hurricane Katrina and the like in the past.

“One of the things that I loved so much about this city, I remember coming down here when Zion Williamson was drafted by the Pelicans,” ESPN’s Marty Smith said. “And I was down here a week, and I spent so much time with New Orleanians and what they said to me was, ‘If you love us, we’re going to love you back.’

“There’s so much care in this city, and the history and the culture, and the tradition of both of those is so revered. And so to see how galvanized everyone is here to gather and to be in this energy, (Tim Tebow), it really is beautiful after an incredibly, unspeakably emotional week.”

The former Florida quarterback turned ESPN analyst then chimed in on the USA chants.

“I think to then hear this crowd of Notre Dame fans and Georgia fans and executives and families all rally together to chant ‘USA,’ it’s special to come together for a game but then it’s also special to come together for people,” Tebow said. “That’s what you saw and it’s pretty special.”

Kirby Smart preparing his team following tragedy

Following the horrific terrorist attack in New Orleans in the early hours of New Years Day, Georgia and Notre Dame are set to square off in the Sugar Bowl, a College Football Playoff quarterfinal contest.

First, coach Kirby Smart has had to do his best to make sense of the tragedy and make sure his players are OK.

“Tragic, to have what’s happened in our country, where you come and feel safe and a lot of people lost their lives — and it’s saddening, scary,” Smart told ESPN’s Marty Smith. “I first want to thank the first responders who have done such a tremendous job keeping the city safe since then and doing what they do. These kids want to come play a football game and do what they love to do, and they’ve got an opportunity to do that today.”

Smart, though, believed his football players would be up to the task. Especially after the rousing USA chants provided a little extra juice in the building.

“I think it just changes things,” Smart said. “We do a lot of changing around our place a lot of times to try to prepare for things like this. So we have a very resilient group, and I expect them to be resilient today.”