SEC fines LSU after fans stormed the field following win over Ole Miss

LSU fans stormed the field in Baton Rouge after knocking off No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday. Just a day later, the Tigers have been hit with a $250,000 fine.

The SEC announced that the fine is the third offense under the conference’s policy regarding access to competition area. LSU was last fined for this offense in 2018 after a game against Georgia.

The SEC’s full policy on access to competition reads as follows:

“Access to competition areas shall be limited to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly-credentialed individuals at all times. For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest shall spectators be permitted to enter the competition area. It is the responsibility of each member institution to implement procedures to ensure compliance with this policy.”

LSU knocked off Ole Miss 45-20 after pitching a shutout in the second half. Tigers fans had plenty to be excited for, and LSU re-joined the AP Top 25 on Sunday at No. 18.

The SEC’s policy has been in place since 2004. First offenses result in fines of $50,000, while second offenses are hit with a $100,000 fine. As LSU sees on Sunday, a third offense is worth up to a $250,000 fine.

LSU has bounced in and out of the top 25 in recent weeks. The Tigers began the season with a one-point loss to Florida State in Week 1, but responded with four straight victories in the ensuing weeks, including three at home. LSU lost to Tennessee at home on Oct. 8, then knocked off Florida on the road last weekend.

After beating Ole Miss, LSU now sits at 6-2 overall and 4-1 against SEC opponents on the season. The Tigers are on bye in Week 9, but then return home for another big-time matchup against No. 6 Alabama. If LSU pulls off another upset victory against the Crimson Tide, fans will undoubtedly be tempted to rush the field yet again. And that would likely be a fine worth paying.

The first year of the Brian Kelly has been an eventful one in Baton Rouge, and LSU is surely riding high coming off of the big-time victory on Saturday.