When Alabama football fell to Oklahoma on Saturday, likely destroying its College Football Playoff hopes, it sparked a field rush, just as every Crimson Tide loss has for more than a decade. The last team not to see its fans storm the field after beating UA was LSU, back in 2010.
This time however, it will cost the Sooners handsomely. The school will have to pay a $100,000 fine for the field rush, a check it will have to send Alabama under the SEC’s 2023 update to its competition area entry policy.
In addition, Oklahoma could be fined an additional amount due to fans entering the field with 28 second remaining before they were cleared off for one final snap. Ole Miss was fined an additional $100,000 early in the season for a similar incident, with that money going to the SEC’s post-graduate scholarship fund.
It’s the third time Alabama has seen the field rushed after a loss this season. It received $100,000 from Vanderbilt and $100,000 from Tennessee after dropping those games.
Currently, a first offense runs $100,000, a second $250,000 and all subsequent violations go for $500,000. Saturday’s fine will be Oklahoma’s first since joining the SEC for the 2024 season.
It’s the 10th time a team has been fined after beating Alabama football, extending its lead as the most-rushed against team in the league, with Kentucky basketball in second place with seven.
Alabama athletics director Greg Bryne has called for even stiffer penalties for rushing the field in the past. Byrne advocated for the winning team forfeiting the contest if its fans take to the competition area
Meanwhile, Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer spoke about field rushing earlier this season, on the SEC’s coaches teleconference.
I know when it happens, the biggest thing that you’re concerned about is the safety,” DeBoer said. “You’re trying to get your players off the field. All it takes is one fan who’s a little over the top and gets connected with one of our players who is super emotional and had just laid it all on the field. You’ve got a recipe for something that could go wrong. Would be nothing but a negative. For the most part, I think our guys have handled themselves well. When we’ve been in those situations unfortunately.”
Alabama will be back in action next Saturday, against Auburn in the Iron Bow
