Look: Clemson football fans throw bottles onto the field after controversial call
In a moment that one prominent Clemson alum described as “annoying and embarrassing,” Tigers fans briefly interrupted Saturday’s loss to Louisville by doing something that’s become an issue in college football this season:
Throwing things onto the field.
During the fourth quarter of Louisville’s 31-22 upset win over the No. 11 Tigers, fans at Memorial Stadium briefly delayed the game when they threw water bottles onto the field to express their frustration after a controversial call.
Clemson had just scored to cut its deficit to 26-14 with 6 minutes remaining in the game, and the Tigers lined up for an onside kick attempt. The kick took a couple of low bounces before multiple Tigers and Cardinals players jumped on it around midfield, and both sides came out of the pile indicating they’d recovered it.
Refs initially ruled Louisville had recovered the ball, which led to booing from the home crowd in Death Valley. Those boos got even louder as a video replay shown in the stadium indicated Clemson defensive back Ronan Hanafin may have ended up with the ball.
Finally, right before Louisville’s offense was about to snap the balls, referees ran out, whistled the play dead and initiated a formal replay review. After a few minutes, a referee announced the ruling on the field stood – it was still Louisville’s ball.
That decision (and the lack of a formal explanation) outraged the home crowd at Death Valley, which had already been upset at a handful of calls in the first half, and prompted some fans to throw water bottles onto the field.
All of the bottles were thrown from the east end zone area where Clemson students sit on The Hill and have another designated student section area.
“Now we’ve got the crowd acting in a completely inappropriate way as a lot of debris is being thrown on the field,” ESPN play-by-play broadcaster Bob Wischusen said.
A group of roughly 15 Clemson athletic department staffers and team cheerleaders rushed to the field to clear the debris, which appeared to be primarily water bottles (Clemson does not sell alcohol to the public at football games or allow it inside).
“And now the cheerleaders have to run out of the end zone not only to clear the field but also to dodge water bottles that are being thrown in their direction,” Wischusen said.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney also walked in the direction of the student section and gestured for them to stop throwing things onto the field, while the public announcer at Memorial Stadium repeated: “Fans, please do not throw anything onto the field. Do not throw anything onto the field.”
In all, the delay from fans throwing bottle lasted roughly a minute. Play resumed, and Louisville immediately scored another touchdown to go up 33-14.
Swinney addressed the moment during his weekly teleconference on Sunday night.
“That’s not who we are at Clemson,” Swinney said. “I mean, I get it. But they’ve gotta let me deal with the refs. That’s just not something we should do here at Clemson. Hopefully we’ll learn from that and that won’t happen anymore.”
‘Inexcusable behavior’ draws criticism
The moment drew widespread criticism on social media, especially considering the recent trend of fans throwing items onto the field at college football games.
Last month, during Georgia’s upset of No. 1 Texas in Austin, fans at UT’s stadium threw trash on the field to protest a pass interference call that nullified a Texas interception.
The call was overturned after the extended stoppage, which gave Texas the ball and raised further concern from Georgia coach Kirby Smart – and many others – that fanbases could see those sorts of delays as a way to potentially help their team.
In the weeks after the UGA-Texas incident, which led to the SEC fining Texas $250,000, fans at Ohio State and Colorado home games also threw trash onto the field and caused delays.
After the Clemson incident, former Tigers offensive lineman and current ACC Network analyst Eric Mac Lain wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “That’s so annoying and embarrassing. Please be better Clemson Family.”
Fellow ACC Network analyst Mark Packer described Clemson fans’ reaction as “BS,” “pathetic” and “inexcusable behavior” in a post on X.
“It seems to be happening every week in CFB, and it’s ridiculous,” Packer said. “Gotta eliminate this nonsense.”
Sports Illustrated writer Pat Forde joked that Clemson fans were “trying for the Texas Tantrum Overturn. Not gonna work.”
The Athletic’s Chris Vannini wrote: “I 100% believe that the Texas/Georgia call overturn from the garbage delay is why Ohio State fans last week and Clemson fans this week have thrown stuff on the field. This is becoming a very bad trend.”
Louisville (6-3, 4-2 ACC) went on to upset Clemson (6-2, 5-1 ACC) and hand the Tigers their first conference loss and their home night game loss since 2013.
Next Clemson game
Who: Clemson (6-2, 5-1 ACC) at Virginia Tech (5-4, 3-2 ACC)
When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9
Where: Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia
TV: ESPN
This story was originally published November 3, 2024 at 6:30 AM.
