FSU $50K Fine Expected for Fans Storming Field After Alabama Win Following Rule Change

Florida State officials will be writing a $50,000 check to the ACC thanks to its fans' celebrations following a 31-17 upset of No. 8 Alabama on Saturday.

After the game ended, the home fans rushed the field at Doak Campbell Stadium:

While these sorts of images have long been associated with college sports, administrators have cracked down on field- and court-stormings in recent years.

In July, the ACC announced a new policy that levies escalating fines against schools whose fans enter the field of play. The penalties are $50,000 for the first offense, $100,000 for the second and then $200,000 for each instance from there.

The fines apply across multiple sports. Should a big basketball victory at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center trigger a mass gathering on the court this season, FSU would be looking at a $100,000 penalty.

The Seminoles will be thankful they aren't in the SEC, which rolled out new guidelines in May that include a flat $500,000 fine for each court/field rush.

Tennessee athletic director Danny White once laughed off a question about how the school would pay the $100,000 it owed the SEC for the raucous celebrations after a 2022 upset of Alabama:

FSU athletic director Michael Alford might have a similar mindset. He won't want the postgame revelry from Saturday to be a regular occurrence, but seeing your fans be unable to contain their excitement is far better than watching them despondently exit the stadium in the wake of a loss to a Top-10 foe.

The Seminoles host East Texas A&M and Kent State in their next two games. Assuming they prevail, the celebrations are bound to be more muted.