Tensions flared on Saturday afternoon in Knoxville during the rivalry game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
The big stretch of the first half came late in the second quarter with Vanderbilt on offense. The Commodores committed back-to-back false start penalties on 3rd and 14 and 3rd and 19, both plays ending with a Tennessee defensive player hitting Vanderbilt quarterback AJ Swann despite the penalties as the whistle was hard to hear amongst the sold-out crowd in Neyland Stadium. Vanderbilt’s players and staff didn’t take too kindly to their quarterback getting blasted on back-to-back dead plays. Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea was noticeably animated on the sideline as his arguments took his momentum out onto the field to speak with any official in sight. Players were jawing back and forth between each of the previously mentioned flagged players on the drive.
Lea was hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the commotion, taking the Commodores back to 3rd and 39 from their own side of the field.
Sack negated. It was a delay of game. That's twice in a row AJ Swann has taken a hit although the play was dead. https://t.co/XA9kc6i9pW
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) November 25, 2023
The tension didn’t cut off there, though.
After Vanderbilt punted it away, more players started brawling on both sides of the field. One specific skirmish took place in front of the Tennessee bench, drawing several Vanderbilt players and coaches onto the field. Three players – two on Tennessee (Dominic Bailey, Tyler Baron) and one on Vanderbilt (Delfin Xavier Castillo) – wound up getting hit with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties after the Vanderbilt-bench-clearing situation on the field.
Tyler Baron, Josh Josephs, the entire Vandy bench, even some coaches… multiple multiple people involved in the fight on the field. https://t.co/kcv6Wb416n
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) November 25, 2023
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Minutes later, after a Joe Milton rushing touchdown, another Vanderbilt player was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after blasting a Tennessee player following the extra-point play. This play did not cause another skirmish between the teams but showed how much tension was still in the air heading into halftime.
Here’s a look at the fighting on multiple plays between Tennessee and Vanderbilt from WBIR’s Karthik Venkataraman on the sideline:
In state rivalry skirmishes between Tennessee-Vanderbilt. It got heated in the first half. pic.twitter.com/YljUXYmohc
— Karthik Venkataraman (@KarthikV_) November 25, 2023
Here’s what the scene looked like from a high view at the Neyland Stadium press box:
Helmets are off, punches are thrown.
Coaches are going at it.
Officials have let this one go, a blind person could have seen this coming. pic.twitter.com/OLFmdaIDbo
— Caleb Jarreau (@CalebJarreau16) November 25, 2023
The Vandy sideline has cleared. pic.twitter.com/AWRLgIlBrt
— Eric Woods (@ericcwoods) November 25, 2023
No. 21 Tennessee currently leads Vanderbilt 45-10 at the end of the third quarter.
*This story will be updated with more information during and after the game*
