A rare nationwide FAA ground stop began Friday at 3:54 p.m., holding departing flights while technicians investigated a telecommunications error affecting air traffic control centers; officials said it was not related to a cyberattack, and planes already airborne could continue to their destinations.

Transportation Secretary Duffy said a communications issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers prompted the order, which the FAA called necessary for safety amid extraordinary circumstances.

The disruption had caused more than 10,000 flight delays and over 4,200 cancellations by 7:30 p.m. ET, according to Business Insider, marking the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023.

The stop left No. 3 USC’s women’s basketball team stranded in Los Angeles and put its Sunday game against No. 1 South Carolina in Greenville at risk: the Trojans had boarded at Los Angeles International Airport and were about 10 minutes from takeoff when they were told to deboard and return to the Galen Center.

The game remained scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, and a South Carolina spokeswoman said the team had received no notice of a postponement, time change or cancellation.

The matchup is a major early-season test between two undefeated 3-0 teams: South Carolina has beaten Maryland, North Carolina and Clemson, while USC has defeated UNLV, Utah State and Charleston.

With the teams traveling between coasts, driving was impractical, and any delay risked cutting into USC’s recovery and adjustment to the time difference.

The game is the second edition of “The Real SC,” after South Carolina beat USC 69-52 last year while JuJu Watkins was absent; South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said her team would hold the title until the teams met again.

Staley praised USC’s offensive firepower, size, athleticism and speed, while saying South Carolina’s defense was helping establish its identity; the Gamecocks had beaten Clemson 65-44 on November 12, holding them scoreless in the third quarter.

USC features former National Player of the Year JuJu Watkins, while South Carolina’s roster includes Joyce Edwards and Chloe Kitts; the Gamecocks have reached six consecutive Final Fours.

North Texas and Purdue arranged bus travel for their teams after flight disruptions, offering one possible alternative for USC as it tried to reach Greenville.

Clemson’s Saturday football game against Georgia Tech was unaffected because Georgia Tech traveled by bus from Atlanta; the game was scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.