PHOTO BY: PHILLIP WALLER Fans rush the field after Ole Miss’ win over Alabama Saturday. The SEC fined Ole Miss $50,000 for storming the field.
The turf field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium resembled the pregame packed Grove once the clock finally struck zero and the scoreboard read Ole Miss 23, Alabama 17.
The exhilarating atmosphere was everything Ole Miss fans dreamed of Friday night before the big game: a sense of utter shock but at the same time, jubilation.
Storming the field is something for which the Southeastern Conference penalizes universities, enforcing a fine of $50,000 for a third offense.
But nothing could stop the Rebel fans this time.
Students and fans hurdled the metal fences holding back the joy and pride that kept the crowd at Vaught-Hemingway confined to their seats.
Both goal posts were taken down from behind the end zones and taken for a ride around the city of Oxford.
Buckner Corso, senior accounting major from Jackson, has a prize every student wishes they had: a piece of the goal post.
“It got so wild. I felt like I didn’t even know what happened, it was so crazy,” Corso said about taking the goal post. “We took it down and took it around the Square and we carried it back to my house. Yesterday we cut it up into roughly 30 pieces and everyone that carried it, we allowed them to have a piece of it. I took the final two pieces to Ross Bjork and Hugh Freeze. It was a great weekend.”
As for actually rushing the field, it was a process Corso thoroughly enjoyed.
“It probably took me about two or three minutes,” Corso said. “I was about halfway up the student section. It was a large push, but it was so much fun once we got down there.”
The Southeastern Conference office, according to Athletic Director Ross Bjork, contacted the university Sunday afternoon to send in the $50,000 fine immediately and let the university know it was in clear violation of the rule. Ole Miss was previously cited in 2012 and 2013 for similar violations.
Bjork stressed that the safety of the fans, players, opposing team and officials is the number one priority during an event like Saturday’s game.
Moments like this win don’t come very often, which is also something Bjork wants to remember.
“You want these moments for your program. You want to be able to celebrate. You want your fans to have a big exhale for the program,” Bjork said. “We’re OK with paying the fine, but we also understand that it is a violation of the code, and you have to be safe.
“Those moments, you want to capture that and bottle that, but you also have to be mindful you do have a job to do to make sure we have safe venues.”
Several injuries resulted from the incident. Bjork said some people suffered ankle injuries, either twisting them or breaking them, and that the university is in the process of getting in touch with those who were injured.
Bjork mentioned that he and Buckner Corso have met around campus and have seen each other at different events. The passion on display in carrying the goal posts gave Bjork a sense of pride, and he wanted to be involved.
“When I saw it was in a landing spot in their apartment I said ‘Hey, be safe in cutting it but also, save us a piece,’” Bjork said of Corso. “That’s the passion of this place and of our fans and students. That’s what we love.”
As for Bjork’s reaction to the storming of the field, he wanted to let the moment sink in with his wife and 8-year-old son.
“Honestly, I just stood there and wanted to soak it all in and really just see the expressions on the faces of our fans and to say ‘Hey, we beat Alabama,’” Bjork said with a smile on his face. “That’s what I wanted to reflect on as I stood back there and watched the euphoria.”
A piece of history sits in the apartment of Buckner Corso, something he would never expected to happen.
“When I woke up Saturday morning, I never expected much less winning the game, but also having the post sitting in my house that night,” Corso said. “It feels so good to see our campus get this recognition.”
