Tennessee raised more than $150k to replace the goalposts Vols fans tore down and threw in a river after upsetting Alabama
- The Tennessee Volunteers beat the Alabama Crimson Tide for the first time in 16 years Saturday night.
- Fans rushed the field, tore down the goalposts, and threw them in a river to celebrate the upset.
The Tennessee Volunteers scored their first victory over the rival Alabama Crimson Tide in 16 years Saturday night.
And Vols fans at Heyland Stadium celebrated accordingly.
Many of the 101,915 spectators on hand for Tennessee's thrilling 52-49 win jumped over barriers, flooded the field, and completely concealed the grass below. A sea of orange stretched between the endzones, with fans lighting up cigars, singing and dancing, and enjoying the long-awaited rivalry triumph.
They also climbed — and tore down — the goalposts:
Fans then carried the pipes right out of the stadium:
And at least some of the pieces wound up in the Tennessee River:
The raucous parties, and even some fans' destructive antics, were hardly a concern for university officials. UT President Randy Boyd said on camera that the cost of replacing the uprights "doesn't matter — we'll do this every year!"
But the team did have a bit of a problem on its hands; the Volunteers are set to host Tennessee-Martin on October 22, exactly a week after fans tore apart their field. And while the school has both a hefty endowment and considerable revenue stream from its athletic programs, it turned back to the fans for help.
The Tennessee Fund — which raises money for the Volunteers' athletic programs — created a "Volstarter" crowdfunding page to "Help pay the tab for our new goalposts!"
"This specific campaign was launched by the Tennessee Fund in conjunction with campus/UT Foundation as a fun way to engage donors," a representative for Tennessee athletics told Insider. "Many had asked how they could support and continue the celebration that began Saturday night."
And less than three days after the Volunteers' massive victory, the fund surpassed its $150,000 goal. Two-thirds of the pot will go towards paying off the $100,000 fine the SEC handed down for Tennessee's "violation of the league's access to competition area policy due to fans entering the field."
The other $50,000 has already changed hands. As of Tuesday morning, the Volunteers have brand new goalposts standing at Rocky Top, as revealed by Tennessee's own mascot, Smokey.