Knoxville, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee fans celebrated after the Vols’ first win against Alabama in 15 years by tearing down the goalposts at Neyland Stadium.
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 in Knoxville.
Video captured by WATE inside the stadium shows the goalposts on the field being torn down.
SEC fines for fans rushing the field can reach up to $250,000 according to ESPN.
Not long after, the goalposts were carried through the streets by fans. The group took the posts down Cumberland Avenue and eventually threw them into the Tennessee River.
The last time the University of Tennessee’s goalposts were torn down was in 1998, when Tennessee beat Florida.
Tennessee had not beaten a Top 10 team since 2006 against Georgia. That was also the last year the Vols beat Alabama.
A season later, Saban became Alabama’s coach. While the Tide has become college football’s greatest dynasty with six national titles, Tennessee has burned through coaches and been mired in mediocrity.
In his second season in Knoxville, coach Josh Heupel has pulled the Vols from the muck.
“This is college football at its absolute best,” Heupel said after the victory. “We were the best team on the field tonight. That’s all we can control.”
“We didn’t answer the bell today,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “We did too many things to help (Tennessee).”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
