Fans celebrate Vols win against Alabama by tearing down the goalpost at Neyland Stadium
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — 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 SportsCenter in Neyland Stadium shows fans tearing down the goalposts being torn down.
The goalposts were carried through the streets by fans, eventually taking them down Cumberland Avenue to throw them into 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 first time the goalposts came down was in 1993 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 goal post.)
- 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
- September 1998 when UT defeated second-ranked Florida in the first overtime game of Tennessee’s history
