SEC fines Vanderbilt $100K after fans rush field, tear down goal post following victory over Alabama

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — After Vanderbilt University fans swarmed the field, tore down a goal post , carried it a few miles through downtown Nashville, and tossed it in the Cumberland River following Saturday’s historic win against the University of Alabama, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) announced a hefty fine for Vandy.

The Commodores shocked the Crimson Tide by winning 40-35, marking Vandy’s first victory over the nation’s number one team.

Following the game, a few Commodore fans climbed on top of the goal post while numerous others pulled it to the ground, as seen in videos sent to News 2 on Saturday, Oct. 5.

Shortly afterward, multiple people posted pictures and videos on social media of the goal post being carried down Broadway and dropped in the Cumberland River.

News 2’s Nissan camera captured the goal post poking out of the river and then crews showing up to pull it out:

There is no word on what happened to the goal post after it was loaded onto a truck and towed away, whether anyone will be fined by Nashville dumping the post in the Cumberland River, or how Vanderbilt plans to replace the post.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, the SEC announced that Vanderbilt will be fined for violating the league’s access to competition area policy due to fans entering the field after the football game. Officials said the university will incur a fine of $100,000 for a first offense under the league’s current policy, which was revised at the SEC Spring Meetings in 2023.

For Conference contests, fines are paid to the opposing institution.

The policy states that “institutions shall limit access to competition areas to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly credentialed or authorized individuals at all times.  For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest may spectators enter the competition area.”

Financial penalties are imposed for violations in all sports sponsored by the Conference.  Institutional penalties range from $100,000 for a first offense, $250,000 for a second offense and $500,000 for a third and subsequent offenses.

The policy was originally adopted by a vote of Conference members in 2004 and financial penalties were increased by action taken by the membership in 2015 and again in 2023.

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Press release from the SEC

A similar situation happened on Oct. 15, 2022, when University of Tennessee fans celebrated the Volunteers’ first win against Alabama in 15 years. Immediately after the game ended with a last minute 40-yard field goal, fans flooded the field and tore down the goal posts, which they carried through the streets and then threw into the Tennessee River.

Following that incident, the SEC announced Tennessee would incur a $100,000 fine for violating the league’s access to competition area policy. Meanwhile, school officials set up a fundraiser and managed to hit their goal of $150,000 to install the new posts , as well as cover installation fees and other repairs.

However, nearly two years later, the shoe was on the other foot for Tennessee because after the Vols’ loss to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville Saturday night, Razorback fans followed Vanderbilt’s lead by rushing the field and taking down their goal post.

The SEC fined Arkansas $250,000 Sunday for a second offense under the access to competition area policy.

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