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Vanderbilt and Arkansas both sent messages to the rest of the college football world as they pulled big upsets on Saturday night. The Razorbacks got a big win against Tennessee, while the Commodores pulled one of the biggest upsets in college football history with their win against previously No. 1 Alabama.
The SEC has strict rules when it comes to storming the field, and fans of both Vanderbilt and Arkansas made their way on the field to celebrate the win.
On Sunday, the conference announced that both teams were fined.
NEWS | Vanderbilt, Arkansas fined for violation of access to competition area policy: https://t.co/T7A54jAs03
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) October 6, 2024
For Vanderbilt, the Commodores were fined $100k because this was their first offense since the access to competition area policy was edited during the SEC Spring Meetings in 2023.
Arkansas received a bigger fine of $250k because this was their second offense. The rules are that in conference games, the fines are paid to the opposing team.
If the Razorbacks have another situation where their fans storm the field, they would be fined $500k.
With the publicity both teams received after their upsets, the athletic directors and programs surely don’t mind having to write that check. For Arkansas, it was the type of win that potentially saved Sam Pittman’s job, while Clark Lea got the biggest win in the history of Vanderbilt football.
