Tennessee's Omari Thomas apologizes for pushing Arkansas fan on field after loss
Omari Thomas issued an apology on social media on Sunday after video showed him pushing an Arkansas fan to the ground as Razorback students stormed the field Saturday night after the 19-14 win over No. 4 Tennessee.
Arkansas students stormed the field near the visiting team tunnel at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium as Tennessee players were in the corner of the end zone going toward the locker room after the loss.
Video showed Thomas, the fifth-year senior Tennessee defensive tackle, turning and shoving a male Arkansas fan, who went crashing into a female as both went to the ground.
“I apologize for my actions during the chaotic postgame scene,” Thomas wrote on social media. “Even though we got run into multiple times by fans while trying to exit the field, that doesn’t condone my actions or define my character. I sincerely apologize. I wish Arkansas and their fans all the best. Big O.”
Hey @Vol_Football, might want to teach your players that this could be considered assault… pic.twitter.com/GF9iShgolx
— Kristi Abbott (@kabbott725) October 6, 2024
South Carolina stormed field after upsetting Vols in 2022
It’s the second time in three seasons that an opponent has stormed the field and taken down the goalpost after upsetting the Vols. South Carolina did so in November 2022 after the 63-38 win at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Thomas had one tackle in Saturday night’s game at Arkansas. He has six tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, in five games this season. The Memphis native has 99 career tackles in 53 games over the last four-plus seasons.
It was a frustrating night in Fayetteville for Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC), which gave up the go-ahead touchdown on an 11-yard run from backup Arkansas quarterback Malachi Singleton with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter.
The Vols drove to the Arkansas 20-yard line on the following drive, after Nico Iamaleava threw a 42-yard pass to Dont’e Thornton, but the game ended with Iamaleava being forced to scramble out of bounds on fourth-and-5.
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Up Next: No. 8 Tennessee vs. Florida, Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Arkansas (4-2, 2-1) out-gained the Vols 336-332 and had 25 first downs to Tennessee’s 16. The Razorbacks shutout Josh Heupel’s offense in the first half, giving up just 76 total yards.
Tennessee trailed 3-0 at the break but started the second half with back-to-back touchdown drives covering a combined 135 yards. After that, though, were four straight punts and the turnover on downs to end the game.
Iamaleava completed 16 of 28 passes for 155 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He was sacked four times and hurried three times.
Tennessee ran 36 times as a team for 176 yards, with Dylan Sampson carrying 22 times for 140 yards and both scores.
The Vols are back home this week hosting Florida on Saturday night (7 Eastern Time, ESPN), the first of four home games over the next five weeks.
