Texas is facing financial repercussions due to fan behavior during the Longhorns’ loss to Georgia on Saturday night.
A Texas fan threw an object onto the field with less than three minutes left in the third quarter after Barron made an interception and officials charged him with pass interference on Jade Barron. The SEC announced Sunday that Texas would be fined $250,000 and the person who threw the object on the field would be banned from participating in Texas sporting events for the remainder of the school year.
“Saturday night’s dumping of debris and the resulting stoppage of play should never be part of any SEC event,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. “The SEC has been assigned the responsibility of enforcing sportsmanship and game management policies by its membership, and these actions are consistent with oversight responsibilities, including fines and mandatory reviews.”
This situation resulted in one of the strangest penalty-related cases in recent college football history. As debris from the field was being cleared, officials conferred and decided that the pass interference penalty should be reversed and Texas should keep possession. The Longhorns then made two plays to cut Georgia’s lead to 23-15, but the Bulldogs won 30-15.
In the hours after the game, Georgia administrators said they were seeking answers from the SEC about the process for overturning the call. Athletic Director Josh Brooks said in a statement posted on social media that he wanted to know when officials realized the call was incorrect.
It is my privilege and duty to serve the University of Georgia, and part of that responsibility is to stand up for our coaches, student-athletes, staff, and the entire Dawg Nation.
While I’m proud of our team’s determination, I’m equally disappointed and frustrated in some ways…
— Josh Brooks (@Brooks_UGA) October 20, 2024
“What I find unacceptable is the manner in which this particular call was canceled,” Brooks wrote. “The umpire claimed he made a mistake in his call. My question is when did he realize his mistake? Before there was a delay due to fans throwing things on the field. So what stopped him before the umpire made the announcement and realized it?” Ball? “
Hours before the SEC announced it would fine Texas, the school apologized for what happened Saturday night.
“While we deeply appreciate the passion and loyalty of the University of Texas at Austin fan base, we condone the unsportsmanlike conduct exhibited by some individuals who threw objects onto the field during last night’s game. We sincerely apologize to the University of Texas at Austin for the inconvenience.” To all Georgia players, coaches, fans, and the Southeastern Conference and referees,” Board of Governors Chairman Kevin Eltif and Texas State Jay・President Herzl and Athletic Director Chris Del Conte said in a statement.
The SEC said there are other guidelines Texas must follow as part of penalties for objects thrown on the field. The conference said it has the right to revoke a school’s authority to sell alcohol at sporting events if it determines that Texas is not adequately meeting these obligations.