Tennessee football program fined $100K when fans storm field after Alabama upset

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — There was plenty to celebrate for exuberant Tennessee football fans, who tore the goalposts down after Saturday night’s upset victory against Alabama.

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Now, it’s time to pay up.

The Southeastern Conference announced that it fined the University of Tennessee $100,000 when fans stormed the field after the Volunteers upset the Crimson Tide 52-49 in Knoxville, the Knoxville News-Sentinel reported. It was the first time since 2006 that the Vols had won the annual “Third Saturday in October” game against Alabama, but it came at a price.

The fine was considered a second offense under the conference’s access to competition area policy, the newspaper reported. The university’s first offense, which resulted in a $50,000 fine, occurred in 2006 when fans stormed the court at Thompson-Boling Arena after the Vols defeated the University of Florida in a basketball game, according to The Athletic.

Tennessee also sent out a tweet to help raise money for new goalposts after fans tore them down and carried them through campus and downtown Knoxville. The boisterous fans also dumped the goalposts in the Tennessee River, but then retrieved them, the magazine reported.

Fans were solicited for several donation options, ESPN reported. A $16 donation represents the number of years since the Vols beat the Tide. A $52.49 donation honors the final score, and a $1,019.15 contribution plays off the attendance at Neyland Stadium (101,915).

University President Randy Boyd, celebrating with a cigar in his hand as fans rushed onto the field after the game, was asked about a possible fine.

“It doesn’t matter,” Boyd said. “We’ll do this every year.”

He might want to rethink that.

If Tennessee commits another violation, the school could be fined up to $250,000, the News-Sentinel reported.

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