ASU fined $50,000 for storming the field after upset win against No. 7 Texas Tech

Author: Vai Rayaprolu

TEMPE, Ariz. – After ASU’s 26-22 win against No. 7 Texas Tech on Saturday Oct. 18, students and fans rushed the field at Mountain America Stadium in celebration of the upset. The postgame moment, often seen as an unspoken tradition in college football after major upsets, quickly turned chaotic as the Red Raiders’ players and coaches tried to leave the field.

Videos of the field storming widely circulated online, capturing the excitement and energy that followed ASU’s biggest win of the season.

What were the consequences?

On Monday Oct. 20, the Big 12 announced that it had issued “a public reprimand and $50,000 fine of Arizona State University for the field storming incident.”

In addition to the announcement, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark stated that “the Big 12 prioritizes the safety of all players, coaches, and officials,” emphasizing that the conference will work on the event management policies of Big 12 venues.

While the fine emphasizes the Big 12’s commitment to safety, it also highlights the tension between regulation and tradition in college football. Field-storming has long represented unity and passion among fans, but conferences have been restricting the practice due to the concerns of crowd control and liability.

ASU has not released an official statement regarding the fine, but signs at the stadium already warn fans against rushing the field. This incident reminds us that while passion is the heart of college football, safety remains a top priority.

While field storming will likely never go away, there could be changes made in the future to enhance opposing players and coaches safety. After the game, coach Kenny Dillingham even joked about the sign in Mountain America Stadium telling fans not to enter the field of play, as even though it’s there, everyone knows that rule won’t be followed when the school upsets a top 10 team.

Thank you for reading Sun Devil Daily! Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with Arizona State news! For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor at santo.d0506@gmail.com. Also, make sure to check out the Sun Devil Daily shop for merchandise! Forks up!