SEC Fines Oklahoma $200,000 for Storming the Field After Beating Bama

The Sooners shocked the Crimson Tide on Saturday night, but had to pay a big price for fans entering the competition area in violation of SEC safety rules.

Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman celebrates with Sooner Nation. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The best parties can come with a hefty price tag.

After Saturday’s 24-3 victory over Alabama, Sooner Nation  threw a real banger on Owen Field, with well over 10,000 Oklahoma fans rushing the field to celebrate a momentous victory.

On Sunday, the bill came due.

The Southeastern Conference announced OU will be fined $200,000 for violating the league’s access to competition area policy — twice.

The SEC also fined Auburn $100,000. Auburn was in violation of the policy following its game against Texas A&M and incurs a fine of $100,000 for a first offense under the league’s current access to competition area policy that was revised at the SEC Spring Meetings in 2023.

Oklahoma fans haven’t stormed the field since beating No. 1-ranked Nebraska in 2000, but on Saturday OU was initially in violation of the policy as fans stormed onto the field with 28 seconds left. The field had to be cleared before the final snap, after which they rushed the field again — an additional fine of $100,000 due to fans entering the field prior to the end of the game.

“Yeah, they got a little trigger happy,” said linebacker Danny Stutsman, “but it is what it is. We’ve just got to wait a little bit but I love it.”

“That was great,” said cornerback Woodi Washington. “That was amazing. It's something that I've never seen as far as being on the opposite side. I've seen that being on the other side of a field storm. It was great.”

“That was electric,” Stutsman said. “That’s something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. I’m forever grateful for that. And we obviously knew the fans were going to rush. It is what it is but I’m not complaining. That’s awesome. That’s something you’ll remember. I found my family right away which was awesome.” 

“They can take it out of my pocket,” OU head coach Brent Venables joked.

For Conference contests, fines for violation of the access to competition area policy 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.

It’s the third time this season (three losses) that Alabama has drawn the fine from opposing teams, as Tennessee and Vanderbilt each were fined $100,000 for fans rushing the field after upsetting the Crimson Tide. According to AL.com, Alabama leads the SEC with 10 such fan incursions.  

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.

Alabama athletics director Greg Bryne has called for even stiffer penalties for rushing the field, even advocating for the winning team to forfeit the game if its fans rush the field or court.

“You talk about players are starved for it,” Venables said, “coaches are starved for it and the fans are too. A place that expects to win at the highest level.”

Some of that revelry may have even spilled into the OU postgame locker room.

“It was rocking,” said defensive coordinator Zac Alley. “I think we had three or four frat guys snuck in from somewhere I'd never seen. They came in and missed security. It was rocking. Our guys were fired up, excited. Couldn't have been more enjoyable.”