South Carolina will send $500,000 to Tennessee after Gamecocks fans flooded the Williams-Brice Stadium turf following Saturday’s 27-24 upset, the third SEC field-storming fine of the 2026 season and the first in Columbia under the league’s flat-rate system.
The SEC announced the penalty Sunday, citing a violation of its access to competition area policy after kicker Malik Orsan’s 48-yard field goal as time expired beat then-No. 11 Tennessee. The money goes to the Volunteers, who paid the same amount to Alabama one week earlier.
Why did the SEC fine South Carolina?
SEC policy calls for a $500,000 penalty whenever spectators reach the competition area, and the league stopped scaling fines by offense number in 2025. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey explained the change by saying “field rushing is field rushing, the first time or the 18th time.”
Under the old structure, South Carolina paid $100,000 after fans stormed the field following a 63-38 win over then-No. 5 Tennessee in 2022, then $250,000 after a 44-20 win over then-No. 10 Texas A&M in 2024.
Schools can avoid the fine by getting a plan approved in advance that keeps fans in the stands until the visiting team and officials leave the field. Sankey can also reduce the penalty to $100,000 if the home school proves it made a full attempt to stop the rush, few people breached the field and contact with the visitors stayed minimal.
Saturday’s footage makes that last standard difficult for South Carolina to meet, since Tennessee players had to push through thousands of fans to reach the tunnel.
Tennessee linebacker caught in field storm
Video from the field appeared to show Tennessee senior linebacker Jeremiah Telander taking a right-handed swing at South Carolina freshman defensive back Triston Lewis while both players still wore helmets. Security escorted Telander off the field moments later.
Fans also yelled profanities and waved their hands in the faces of Tennessee players as the Vols worked toward the locker room. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has now coached twice at Williams-Brice, and neither visit ended with a handshake with South Carolina coach Shane Beamer because the crowd blocked the path.
Heupel is next scheduled to meet with reporters Oct. 28, during Tennessee’s bye week.
How do the 2026 SEC fines add up?
Kentucky drew the first SEC football fine of the season after fans rushed Kroger Field following a 35-34 overtime win over then-No. 10 LSU on Oct. 10. Tennessee followed a week later when fans poured onto the Neyland Stadium field after a 26-10 win over then-No. 6 Alabama, and the Vols now recoup that $500,000 from their trip to Columbia.
The SEC rate is 10 times what the Big 12 charges for a standard violation, and that league faces its own decision after Cincinnati fans stormed the field following a 37-24 win over No. 8 Texas Tech on Saturday.
South Carolina’s win, set up when defensive end Dylan Stewart stripped Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre with 33 seconds left, was its second straight over a ranked opponent after beating then-No. 16 Florida. Beamer credited the Williams-Brice crowd for the finish.
“Our fans deserved it,” Beamer said. “They were awesome tonight, we needed them to be.”
South Carolina (4-3, 2-3 SEC) visits Oklahoma on Oct. 31, while Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) has a bye.
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