SEC fines Auburn $100,000 after fans storm field following Texas A&M upset

The Southeastern Conference has fined Auburn $100,000 following its 43-41 Week 13 victory over Texas A&M after fans stormed the field inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Auburn’s fanbase rushed onto the field after the Tigers’ defensive stop during the fourth overtime period. The win pushed Auburn to its fifth win this season, keeping its hopes for a bowl game alive heading into Iron Bowl week.

The fine was sent out following the new rules being implemented in 2023, which saw the SEC increase fines levied against football and basketball field/court storming.

The first offense will cost schools $100,000. The second will cost $250,000 and after that, all incidents will sum up to a costly $500,000. Each university’s field-storming slate was wiped clean after it was implemented, meaning the 2022 and 2018 field-storming was not counted regarding this case. However, basketball court stormings count toward that total as well.

Auburn’s victory over the Aggies capped off a wild day in the SEC, seeing three of the conference’s College Football Playoff contenders fall to unranked opponents.

For the Tigers, it looked like their game to win from the start after jumping out to a 21-0 advantage early in the game and led by two touchdowns at the half. However, the Aggies stormed back and took its first lead of the game, 31-28, after scoring an eight-yard touchdown with 4:01 remaining.

Texas A&M won the right to possess the ball first in the extra period. They scored a touchdown to take the 38-31 lead, putting the pressure on Auburn. The Tigers kept their cool to answer with a score of their own as Jarquez Hunter ran in a two-yard TD to send it to double overtime.

From there, the Tigers got the ball first in the second overtime. Unfortunately, they would go backward several yards but still managed to kick a field goal. They had to rely on their defense to come up with a stop but thankfully, it forced a field goal as well. The third overtime period went scoreless.

Auburn QB Payton Thorne found his favorite target of this night in KeAndre Lambert-Smith for the score over the middle in the fourth OT. A&M had a chance to answer but a pass hit Amari Daniels right in the hands, but he dropped it to give Auburn the win.

Fans wasted little time to flood the field after the final buzzer sounded. Now, the Tigers’ athletic department has to pay the price that comes with this level of upset.

It sets the Tigers up perfectly to become bowl-eligible with an Iron Bowl victory against Alabama in Week 14.

On3’s Chandler Vessels contributed to this report.