KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Fans celebrated after the Vols first win against Alabama in 15 years by tearing down the goalposts.
Immediately after the Tennessee-Alabama game concluded with a last-minute 40-yard field goal, kicked by Chase McGrath, fans from the sold-out stands flooded the field, for which the SEC fines can reach up to $250,000, according to ESPN.
Video captured by WATE staff in Neyland Stadium shows fans tearing down the goalposts.
Not long after, the goalposts were carried through the streets by fans, eventually taking them down Cumberland Avenue to throw them into the river.
Video shared on Twitter shows the goalposts being thrown into the Tennessee River, as well as footage of some fans carrying the goalposts through the river.
The last time the University of Tennessee’s goalposts were torn down was in 1998, when Tennessee beat Florida.
According to Volopedia, the last time the goalposts came down was in 1893 for the Vanderbilt victory over UT. This source also shares that the goalposts have come down:
- November 8, 1958 when the University of Chattanooga upset UT
- November 10, 1979, when UT won over Notre Dame (only the north goalpost.)
- November 22, when UT broke a four-game losing streak against Kentucky in the final home game
- October 16, 1982 when UT upset Alabama
- September 28, 1985, when UT beat Auburn
- November 30, 1985 when the Vols beat Vanderbilt to win the SEC title and go to the Sugar Bowl
- September 30, 1989, when UT upset fourth-ranked Auburn
- and September 1998 when UT defeated second-ranked Florida in the first overtime game of Tennessee’s history
EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated.
