Stephen A. Smith Outraged by Florida State’s Punishment for Storming Field

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nikki Chavanelle | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 3:23 PM ET

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has been around the block once or twice, but certain aspects of college football continue to baffle him — like Florida State receiving a fine for storming the field after the huge win over No. 8 Alabama on Saturday. After the Crimson Tide lost 31-17 and the final whistle blew in Tallahassee, thousands of Seminoles fans rushed onto the playing field, resulting in a $50,000 fine from the Atlantic Coastal Conference.

The ACC, like the other major NCAA conferences, now imposes fines on teams for field storming. Those fines increase with each infraction and go toward the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship Fund, supporting ACC student-athletes pursuing graduate education.

Even if it's for a good cause, and despite the rule going into effect to protect student athletes, coaches and other personnel on the field, Smith still isn't on board with punishing programs who can't control fans postgame.

"I'm disgusted," Smith said on "First Take" on Tuesday. "I don't like it, and I know I'm in the minority... 67,000 people showed up to that game. What are they supposed to do? The university can't have enough security. What are you going to do put 67,000 police officers out there? Who the hell can afford that?"

Though program fines for violations like field storming have become the norm, Smith does have a point. No amount of pregame pleading or postgame signage can stop a crowd of thousands from going where they want to go, especially when they're amped up over taking down a rival.

"There are certain things that are just practical and there are certain things that are not," Smith said. "They can't help certain things, and the students don't give a damn because the institution has to pay the fine, but the students don't have to pay the fine... This is college. The students live to be able to do this one day."

The ACC's new policy isn't a fan — or analyst — favorite, but it's less imposing than those of other conferences. SEC policy starts the fines at $100,000, double what Florida State received for Saturday's mayhem. Luckily, there were no reports of injuries or incidents on the field as a result of the storming. Though FSU was the first ACC team fined this season, it's unlikely it will be the last.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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