The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has fined Missouri $100,000 due to fans rushing the field after the Tigers’ 30-27 victory over 15th-ranked Kansas State on Saturday. The game ended with a record-breaking 61-yard field goal by Harrison Mevis, securing Mizzou’s 3-0 record and inducing celebrations among fans on the field at Faurot Field. This win marked Missouri’s first victory against a top-15 opponent since 2018 and placed them among the five remaining undefeated teams in the SEC.
Missouri is the first to be penalized under the SEC’s new fine structure for field and court storming, which was implemented in response to a series of incidents from the previous season. According to the new guidelines, a first offense incurs a $100,000 fine, while subsequent violations carry fines of $250,000 and $500,000.
Previously, the fine structure involved a $50,000 penalty for the first offense, $100,000 for the second offense, and $250,000 for any subsequent violations. The SEC erased all prior offenses when adopting the new guidelines.
There were discussions among league officials about potential game forfeitures and bowl bans as punishments for field and court storming, but ultimately the decision was made to increase fines instead.
“When people want to go, they want to go,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in a 2020 interview on the SEC Network. “But we have to re-train people to stay in the stands.”
