Texas Longhorns Release Statement Regarding Fans Throwing Litter

Darrell K. Royal Stadium was rocking as the Texas Longhorns took on the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday night, but at some point the passionate fans got a little too loud.

With the Longhorns trailing 23-8 late in the third quarter, Jahdae Barron made his second interception of the game and returned it to the Bulldogs’ nine to change the momentum. However, officials called a controversial pass interference penalty on Barron, and in response, fans rained beer cans, water bottles and more onto the field. After the outrage and subsequent delay, officials raised the flag, allowing Barron’s interception to stand.

It certainly wasn’t the proudest moment for the Longhorns or their fans, even if the outcome ultimately changed. On Sunday morning, Kevin Eltife, chairman of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, university president Jay Hartzell and athletics director Chris Del Conte released a statement denouncing the behavior of fans during the incident.

“While we deeply appreciate the passion and loyalty of our fan base at The University of Texas at Austin, we do not condone the unsportsmanlike conduct of some individuals who threw objects onto the field during last night’s game and we sincerely apologize to the University of Texas players, coaches and fans of Georgia, as well as the Southeastern Conference and the officiating team,” the statement said. “This type of behavior will not be tolerated.

“Respect, sportsmanship and fairness are the values ​​that guide our program and we expect all of our fans to adhere to these standards. We are committed to creating a positive environment for all participants, teams, officials and fans and we will take action to ensure this type of behavior does not occur again.

The Texas fans are certainly a passionate bunch, and in what could be Darrell K. Royal’s biggest game ever, they brought all the energy they could. However, it is important not to cross a line, for example by throwing debris onto the field.

The Longhorns ended up losing their first loss of the season 30-15.