Vanderbilt's game against Tennessee State took a frightening turn on Saturday when Tennessee State linebacker Christion Abercrombie collapsed on the sideline and needed to be rushed to a local hospital. According to the Tennessean, Abercrombie sustained a head injury during the first half of the game and was taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center, where he underwent emergency surgery. He is listed in critical condition, but specifics of what caused the collapse or the exact nature of the surgery have not yet been released.
"The last I heard he was in surgery; we've been praying for him," TSU coach Rod Reed said. "I'm going to leave here and go there to see about him."
Both teams met at midfield after the 31-27 Vanderbilt win to pray.
"At the end of the day, I'm a football coach coaching a team and coaching a game, but football's what we do, not who we are," Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said. "I know what it is to be a coach. I know what it is to have a player who's injured. At the end of the day, when serious injuries happen, football becomes secondary."
As of Sunday morning, Abercrombie remains in critical condition.
.@tsu_football head coach Rod Reed says today on his radio show that LB Christion Abercrombie remains in critical condition. Reed says Abercrombie is fighting and needs your prayers.
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisWSMV) September 30, 2018
Reed adds that some VU personnel, including AD David Williams came by hospital to check on him
CBS Sports will update this story as more information becomes available.
