Missouri has been fined $100,000 by the SEC after fans rushed the field following the Tigers' 30-27 win over No. 15 Kansas State on Saturday. Harrison Mevis drilled an SEC-record 61-yard field goal as time expired to lift Mizzou to 3-0, and madness ensued as fans celebrated on the playing surface at Faurot Field. It was the program's first win against a top-15 team since 2018 and left the Tigers as one of only five unbeaten teams remaining in the SEC.
The Tigers are the first violators of the SEC's new fine structure for field and court storming after a series of incidents last season brought the issue into focus for the league. Under the new plan, schools are assessed a $100,000 fine on first offense with the toll increasing to $250,000 and $500,000 for subsequent violations.
Under the old fining structure, schools were docked $50,000 for the first offense, $100,000 for a second offense and $250,000 for every other instance after that. Amid the change in guidelines, the SEC wiped each school's slate clean in terms of prior offenses.
DOWN GOES NO. 15 K-STATE!
— ESPN (@espn) September 16, 2023
A 61-YARD FIELD ON THE LAST PLAY OF THE GAME FOR MIZZOU! pic.twitter.com/5DYx67C6WZ
Game forfeitures and bowl bans were reportedly under consideration by league officials at one point as punishments for field and court storming before the league opted to increase fines instead.
"When people want to go, they want to go," SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said during a 2020 appearance on the SEC Network. "But we have to re-train people to stay in the stands."
