NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Vanderbilt's historic celebration spanned miles down West End and ended on Broadway with fans dumping the goalposts into the Cumberland River.
Vanderbilt upset Alabama for the biggest win in program history. That's well and good, but authorities said what happened after was incredibly dangerous.
I obtained an exclusive Metro Nashville Police Department helicopter video.
It shows officers in an impossible situation trying to control thousands of fans as they carried a goalpost through the busy Saturday evening traffic.
Thermal imaging gives you a better picture of what they were up against.
Once the goalpost was tossed into the Cumberland River, the helicopter used thermal imaging to make sure no one also fell into the water and the Coast Guard was alerted.
In the aftermath, we've learned two officers were injured, and two Nashville Fire Marshal vehicles were damaged.
Fortunately, there were no reports of any civilian injuries.
Metro police said they simply had to respond to the sudden situation, and it is incredibly lucky no one was seriously injured.
They'll be discussing with Vanderbilt how to better handle such situations in the future.
That upset win over number one Alabama cost the Commodores a hefty fine. But most agree that's a small price to pay for one of the biggest wins in school history.
It's safe to say, no one here Saturday saw this coming.
Certainly, not the Crimson-clad Alabama fans who filled the stadium.
But when last seconds ticked off the clock for a stunning Vanderbilt win bedlam ensued.
It's hard to put into words exactly what the win means to long-suffering Vanderbilt fans, but this reaction says it all.
When the 40-35 upset win over top-ranked Alabama went final, delirious fans rushed to the field.
"Everyone celebrated and then shifted to trying to get the field goal post down," said Kendrick Wright, one of our web producers who was at the game.
Wright was part of the crowd as they started marching the goalpost a couple of miles through downtown Nashville to the Cumberland River.
"All you see is everyone skipping and it was amazing to see, that's history right there," Wright said.
Metro police quickly responded to the surging crowd clearing traffic.
Some have wondered if the crowd conduct might bring potential charges for vandalism or illegal dumping of solid waste?
No citations were issued.
However, the Southeastern Conference fined Vanderbilt $100,000 for rushing the field.
Money actually paid to the visitors from Alabama, though you imagine the Crimson Tide would much rather have had the win.
As for that goal post?
Well, the stadium now needs a new one.
The old one was fished out of the river and cut into sections which are being sold for thousands of dollars online by Vanderbilt and they're selling out.
It seems everyone is hungry for a piece of that that big win.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nick.beres@newschannel5.com
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
