Tennessee player shoves fan storming field to the ground after upset loss to Arkansas

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Fans storming the field after an upset loss is a tradition in football, but fans and players can have bad incidents as they cross paths with emotions running high.

That was the case in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Saturday when a Razorbacks fan, after the team’s upset of Tennessee, was shoved by a Volunteers player as they were trying to leave the field. 

A fan in the stands posted a video after the game, which caught the moment a Tennessee player, which appeared to be No. 21 Omari Thomas, shoved a fan trying to walk through the Volunteers scrum. 

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Tennessee defensive lineman Omari Thomas tackles N.C. State running back Hollywood Smothers on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (IMAGN)

Thomas’ actions also caused the fan to slam into a female standing in front of them, as they both fell hard onto the ground. 

Thomas appeared to say something to the fans, as a teammate and coach ushered him back to the group to get off the field. 

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Since the clip went viral, fans have been tagging Tennessee’s football account, head coach Josh Heupel, and even SEC commissioner Greg Sankey as they want consequences for Thomas’ actions. 

Tennessee defensive lineman Omari Thomas speaks at Omni Dallas Hotel. (Brett Patzke-USA Today Sports)

While some fans instigate these scenarios, Tennessee is well aware of what happens when a player acts physically, as their fans rushed the field last season after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide at home. 

Alabama receiver Jermaine Burton was seen assaulting a Tennessee fan as he walked off the field in Knoxville, though former head coach Nick Saban didn’t suspend him, saying Burton was "scared" in the moment. Saban added that reporters didn’t have the "whole story" of Burton’s situation. 

However, this doesn’t appear to be a moment where Thomas was scared as he walked with his team back to the locker room. 

Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Omari Thomas rushes during N.C. State Wolfpack game at the Duke's Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium. (Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)

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There has been no word about potential discipline for Thomas after this incident, but it’s yet another reminder that, while it is tradition, fans storming the field can lead to situations like this. 

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