The SEC fined Texas $250,000 and will require the university to identify and punish fans involved with Saturday’s chaotic scene with debris thrown onto the field during Georgia’s 30-15 win in Austin. Seemingly upset by a controversial penalty against Texas, Longhorn fans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium began to throw bottles and other trash onto the field and the game had to be stopped.
The SEC is mandating Texas is “to use all available resources, including security, stadium and television video, to identify individuals who threw objects onto the playing field.” The SEC then requires that those fans found at fault shall be prohibited from attending Texas athletics events for the rest of the 2024-25 academic year, and that the school undergo a review of its alcohol availability policies.
The conference also offered a reminder to the school that it can suspend Texas’ alcohol privileges under the league’s bylaws, but is choosing not to do so at this time.
“The throwing of debris and resulting interruption of play that took place Saturday night cannot be part of any SEC event,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. “The SEC is assigned responsibility by its membership to enforce its sportsmanship and game management policies and these actions are consistent with that oversight responsibility, including the financial penalty and mandated reviews.”
Georgia coach Kirby Smart said after the game that the whole situation set a dangerous precedent, since during the stoppage to clear the debris the officials met and overturned the pass interference penalty in favor of the Longhorns.
“Now we’ve set a precedent that if you throw a bunch of stuff on the field and endanger athletes that you’ve got a chance to get your call reversed,” Smart said. “And that’s unfortunate because, to me, that’s dangerous. That’s not what we want.”
Texas offered an official apology co-signed by the system board, the university president and the athletics director, noting that such behavior “will not be tolerated.”
“While we deeply appreciate the passion and loyalty of our fan base at The University of Texas at Austin, we do not condone the unsportsmanlike conduct that was exhibited by some individuals throwing objects onto the field during last night’s game and sincerely apologize to the University of Georgia players, coaches, and fans, as well as the Southeastern Conference and officiating crew,” the statement read.
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