© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Mississippi State pulled off a massive upset over No. 12 Arizona State in Week 2 of the 2025 college football season. Fans celebrated by storming the field after the fact.
Goal posts were torn down in record time and swifty carried off of the field. It seemed a planned tactic by the Bulldogs‘ staff in hopes of saving some cash.
The game went down to the wire with the two sides trading leads in the final moments of the fourth quarter. Mississippi State jumped out to a 17-0 lead. Arizona State stormed back with 20 unanswered points.
Then, fireworks.
With just over a minute left, the Bulldogs scored on a long touchdown pass to regain their advantage. They’d later intercept Sam Leavitt to seal the win.
A party erupted on the field after the upset!
Mississippi took down the goal posts.
Some of ASU’s players paused to soak in the celebration and goal posts being paraded around the field. They need to. pic.twitter.com/yTrpkFaSn4
— Chris Karpman (@ChrisKarpman) September 7, 2025
Fans stormed the field to celebrate the victory. It might just cost the school $500,000.
Field storming has been a major topic of discussion over the last few years. Recent incidents involving home fans and opposing players are the cause.
The SEC introduced a new conduct rule ahead of the 2025 season. Violators will be punished accordingly.
The SEC is ratcheting up penalties on schools whose fans storm the field or rush the court, doing away with an escalating fine system and now charging $500,000 per incident.
-ESPN
“The motivation was ‘field rushing is field rushing, the first time or the 18th time,'” commissioner Greg Sankey said on the decision. “The random nature of, if you’re the one getting rushed, it doesn’t feel good. It might be the first time (it happened) there, but it might be your sixth time in a row, literally.”
Previously, the conference implemented an escalating fine structure that started at $100,000 and grew to $500,000 after the third infraction. It’s now starting at the most severe punishment in hopes of curbing fan/player interactions.
Mississippi State did not allow Arizona State to get off the field though a timer was set on the videoboard to remind fans. They did not heed the warnings.
The SEC does have the option to waive the fine should it be determined the visiting team was given sufficient time to leave the field. It’s yet to be seen if that will be the case in Starkville.
The Bulldogs were ready.
Wow pic.twitter.com/aYvVIGULuA
— Sam Sklar (@sklarsam_) September 7, 2025
The goal posts came down in record time. They were in pieces on the ground before the large majority of fans left their seats.
Many asked how it was possible. The answer appears to be relatively simple.
Mississippi State staffers took the goal posts to the ground, not fans. That can be seen at field level in the video below.
UTTER CHOAS ensued as Kenny Dillingham and No. 12 Arizona State were leaving the field following their 24-20 loss to Mississippi State 🤯
From a field storming to goal posts being carried out of Davis Wade Stadium, it was truly an astonishing scene.@CronkiteSports pic.twitter.com/E2SmswS00Y
— Max Zepeda (@MaxZepedaSports) September 7, 2025
Social media suggests that university workers not only took the uprights down, but they then tracked them down from fans after the celebration.
The new (old) goal posts were back up within the hour.
New goal post already installed pic.twitter.com/1gKRBl0Kz0
— Sam Sklar (@sklarsam_) September 7, 2025
In doing so, they avoid having to buy new equipment. It should save some cash with a $500,000 fine potentially looming.
Mississippi State pulled off the unexpected upset. The Bulldogs were ready!