Virginia Athletics lost $50,000 yesterday. But no one is really complaining.
That hefty fine was imposed by the ACC for the University’s first instance of storming the field in a two-year period. Storming the field is a college football tradition for a historic home victory, which is something that Virginia fans have not done since 2019.
The very second Florida State surrendered the game-clinching interception to seal a Virginia win, thousands of students charged David Harrison Field at Scott Stadium. There were smiles and cheers abound.
Even Virginia Athletics representatives, who knew $50,000 just went down the drain, were cheering and high-fiving. Athletic Director Carla Williams prayed. Charlottesville came alive, quite euphorically, late on a Friday night. But how did it get there?
The game started with a packed house of 50,107 fans inside Scott Stadium — the most attending a game since the loss against James Madison in 2023.
It continued with an absolute war of a football game, a back-and-forth affair where one or two plays could have changed the outcome. As the Cavaliers’ fourth quarter lead dissipated into overtime, Williams stood with her hands behind her head. Thousands of other attendees did the same.
It ended with pure pandemonium. John Freeman, the “Voice of the Cavaliers,” put it best — “all heaven has broken loose.”
Police officers stood at the team’s entrance tunnel, prepared for thousands of fans to rush the field. When asked about their preparation, one officer — who asked to speak anonymously — responded with a brief but honest message.
“In my time here, I have never seen the whole stadium storm the field,” the officer said. “I know what protocol is, but we’ve never had to actually do it. I think folks may be a bit nervous.”
When the moment came, it was as if fireworks were launched indoors. Not even two seconds had passed after junior defensive back Ja’Son Prevard secured the game-winning interception before fans stampeded their way onto the field.
“It happened so fast,” Prevard said. “When I caught the ball, I hit the ground, I looked up and all I see is everybody just running all over me. So it was crazy.”
Some fans made obscene gestures at Seminoles, while others sprinted to take selfies with Cavaliers. A sizable contingent tried to take down the goalposts, and their failure to do so was perhaps the only demerit on a historic celebration.
The field-storming was chaotic — a trio of players were engulfed in a sea of blue, and multiple students required visits to the hospital. However, there was also a sense of peace once the storming had settled down. For these Cavaliers, getting to enjoy a victory with the Virginia faithful meant the world.
“I was just taking it in,” graduate safety Devin Neal said. “You know, just taking pictures with the fans, just dapping them up, saying hi, it's just moments like that. It’s why people come to the game, and you get to be a part of that memory and just do well by them.”
The team stayed out on the field for several minutes, soaking it all in. Many Cavaliers were able to spend time with close friends and family.
“My parents got on the field,” graduate offensive lineman Kevin Wigenton said. “That's why you play this game, that's why you prepare as hard as you do.”
But storming the field is not just about having fun. It is a trophy of sorts. Storming the field means that a team has upset a national powerhouse, and therefore a raucous celebration is in order.
“This is what we were supposed to do,” graduate linebacker James Jackson shouted on his way into the locker room.
All night long, fans were present — and loud. They stood with their football team, both during and after the game. For the first time this season, the Hill was packed for all four quarters instead of emptying out at halftime.
“That's what Scott Stadium is supposed to be like,” Coach Tony Elliott said. “And that's what I envisioned when I decided to take the job here — the potential. Really proud of the students and the fans for showing up.”
But more importantly, the entire outlook of Virginia’s season just transformed. According to the ESPN broadcast, the Cavaliers now have a 43 percent chance of reaching the ACC Championship game. Had Virginia lost Friday, its odds would have plummeted to 10 percent. And come Sunday afternoon, these Cavaliers could very likely be ranked for the first time since 2019.
“The atmosphere was unbelievable,” Elliott said. “It felt like a championship game. And that's what we desire to be as a program, that's where we want to go, but we all got to do it together.”
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