Aug 30, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Tommy Castellanos (1) during warmups before the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Florida State becomes first program fined under ACC's new field rushing rules

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Florida State fans didn't know what to expect when they walked into Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday afternoon. With the Alabama Crimson Tide traveling to Tallahassee and the Seminoles having basically an entirely different set of starters from last year, there were a bunch of unknowns hanging in the balance.

Three hours later there was nothing but jubilation as the clocked ticked down and fans began to storm Bobby Bowden Field. The Crimson Tide tried to quickly get to the locker room but not without weaving through a sea of garnet and gold clad supporters.

It's a moment that fans will remember for years to come. This was truly one of the biggest upsets in program history. The country is still getting its head around the result, as Florida State was more than a two-touchdown underdog.

The victory didn't come without a small cost as the Seminoles will become the first program to be fined by the ACC under new field/court rushing rules that were passed in recent months.

Florida State To Be Fined By ACC

Back in July, during the ACC Kickoff, the conference instituted new standards for court rushing in men's and women's basketball and field storm in football. The rules are in effect for the 2025-26 academic year.

According to the ACC, "visiting team personnel and officials must have the opportunity to safely exit the competition area before spectators may access the competition area following a contest."

That didn't happen as security personnel had no chance of stopping the thousands of Florida State fans. The best they could do was surround the goal posts to make sure they didn't end up being paraded down Tennessee Street.

Per the new rules, violations will result in a monetary fine that increases over a two-year rolling period. The first offense is a fine of $50,000, the second is $100,000, and any offenses beyond that will be $200,000 each.

Honestly, that's a small price to pay considering the magnitude of this game. To make it even better, the contest served as the grand re-opening of Florida State's renovated Doak Campbell Stadium.

The environment in the iconic venue was arguably one of the best in decades. No one in the stands or on TV would have any idea there were about 10,000 fewer seats.

This is the second time that Florida State has stormed the home field since 2022. It probably won't happen again this year in football but don't rule out an upset on the hardwood.