Vanderbilt fans storm court after upset of No. 9 Kentucky, opening school to $500K fine for third offense

Upsets are becoming expensive business for Vanderbilt.

The school is facing a $500,000 fine from the SEC after its fans stormed the court following a 74-69 upset win over No. 9 Kentucky on Saturday. The size of the fine is increased because it is the Vanderbilt athletic department's third offense of the school year.

Students had little trouble getting past security as they congregated on the floor.

Vanderbilt incurred its first penalty when it was fined $100,000 in October after the football team defeated then-No. 1 Alabama. Fans stormed the field in response to the win, tearing down a goal post and walking it two miles to dump it into the Cumberland River. Vanderbilt later set up an auction, selling off pieces of the goal post to help raise money to cover the fine.

The second penalty came just last week, when the fans stormed the court after beating in-state rival No. 6 Tennessee 76-75. The cost that time: $250,000.

The SEC's storming fines, which were raised in 2023, dictate that a first offense will cost $100,000, a second offense $250,000 and a third and subsequent offenses $500,000. Fines for field- or court-storming are paid out to the opposing team's school, so Kentucky should soon have a check for a half-million dollars coming its way.

One person who was very aware of these potential costs was Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Lee, who was seen on the court pleading with the students to not rush the court as the game ended.

With the school now facing a potential bill of $850,000 fines, Vanderbilt might not even be done adding to its total. The Commodores host No. 1 Auburn for a game on Feb. 11, in which it will be quite incentivized to beef up security as much as possible.