LSU is riding high after an intense and emotional victory over Ole Miss last Saturday, improving their season record to 5-1.
The Tigers forced the game into overtime, where they clinched a hard-fought 29-26 win against their ranked SEC rival.
The thrilling finish led to an outpouring of celebration in Baton Rouge, with LSU fans storming the field in jubilation.
While the moment was euphoric for many, head coach Brian Kelly wasn’t entirely on board with the fans’ decision to rush the field.
Kelly expressed his concerns about the chaos that comes with such scenes, explaining how it can create a dangerous situation for players, coaches, and fans alike.
“Look, it always is the result of a good thing,” Kelly said. “From that perspective, I guess your mindset is, ‘Okay, that’s good.’ But it’s not comfortable.
“You’re in a mass of people, and you’re being moved through a crowd of people. And you’re worried about somebody getting knocked down. It’s not something that you enjoy, let’s put it that way.”
While Kelly acknowledged the excitement for students and fans, he pointed out the potential risks involved for those on the field.
Players, trying to make their way to the locker room, may find themselves caught in a chaotic sea of fans, and accidents are always a possibility.
We’ve also seen several incidents of opposing players losing their temper in such situations, especially following heartbreaking losses.
The consequences for LSU weren’t just physical; they were financial as well.
The school received a hefty $250,000 fine for the field-storming incident. Should it happen again, the fine will increase to $500,000 under SEC policies aimed at preventing these types of occurrences.
Having said that, field-storming is one of the million reasons why college football is so special. Love it or hate it, the pure emotion and jubilation displayed in those moments are what separate the sport from all others.
In other words, field-storming is always going to be a part of college football – whether Kelly likes it or not.
As far as the Tigers on the field, they’ll return to action on Saturday for an SEC showdown against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
LSU is right back in the CFB Playoff discussion and could very well be a dangerous team come tournament time.
As for Kelly, what are your thoughts on his comments? … Are you on his side? Or do you think he’s being a tad too dramatic???