College football games feature a more passionate fanbase compared to NFL games. The crowds are filled with excited students rooting for the home team. Things got chaotic at Memorial Stadium at the Clemson Tigers matchup against the Louisville Cardinals.
The Cardinals beat the Tigers 31-22 but in the fourth quarter, when the home team trailed by 12 points, an onside kick attempt infuriated the home fanbase. Clemson had scored and the game was 26-14 after which they lined up for an onside kick. The ball bounced low multiple times before the players jumped on it at midfield before it was determined that Louisville gained possession. That call did not sit well with the fans.
Memorial Stadium got loud with the fans booing the referees’ call. The replay of the onside kick on the big screen suggested that Tigers’ DB Ronan Hanafin had possession of the ball.
This prompted the officials to take another look at the play, but even after that, their decision did not change. It was still Louisville’s ball.
Uh oh. Fans are throwing stuff onto the field at Clemson after the refs uphold the ruling of Louisville recovering the onside kick pic.twitter.com/I5YcnOf8Fe
— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) November 3, 2024
Clemson Tigers fans began to throw debris onto the field
This call could make or break the Tigers’ shot to orchestrate a comeback and the fans chose to take matters into their own hands. Water bottles and other forms of debris began to fly onto the field from the east end zone region that is designated for Clemson students.
This led to a delay in the game, and Clemson cheerleaders rushed onto the field to pick up the bottles and clear the field.
On the very next play, Louisville wound up scoring yet another touchdown. The fans had hoped to get the play call reversed by showing their force, a feat that had worked two weeks ago in the Texas Longhorns matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs.
The Longhorns were down big against the Bulldogs late in the second half and were attempting to make a comeback. With the home team down 23-8, a pass interference penalty was called on Longhorns’ Jahdae Barron, which negated an interception and a 36-yard return. This call sent the fans into a frenzy and the student section began to throw bottles and other forms of debris onto the field, which resulted in the officials choosing to review the call.
In the interim, HC Steve Sarkisian had to walk onto the field and gesture to the fans to stop throwing things on the field. The play call was reversed and the Longhorns had possession of the ball.
Clemson fans threw debris onto the field after they were unhappy with a call.
Louisville scored on the very next play. pic.twitter.com/AI6SBYmRrM
— ESPN (@espn) November 3, 2024
This is a dangerous trend in college football that compels the referees to second-guess their decisions. The SEC stepped in the case of Texas and fined them for the fans’ behavior. Clemson is likely to face similar sanctions.
Dabo Swinney, the head coach of the Tigers, walked toward the student section and gestured to the crowd to stop hurling things on the field so that the game could progress. The delay lasted under two minutes and ultimately, the Cardinals won the game.
