Ugly scene unfolds at Bryant-Denny Stadium as Georgia players leave field

Georgia’s players put their helmets back on before they reached the tunnel at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday night, after Alabama fans started throwing bottles and cans at them following the Bulldogs’ 20-17 win. The victory moved No. 2 Georgia to 6-0 and handed No. 6 Alabama its first loss of the season.

Dozens of items landed in the Alabama end zone, and a water bottle came down near a cheerleader, who stepped back to avoid it. WSB-TV’s Alison Mastrangelo posted video of the exit.

“Georgia players were being told by coaches to put their helmets on as they were leaving the field,” Mastrangelo wrote. “Upset Alabama fans were throwing bottles and cans at the players and on the field.”

The crowd had turned on the officials during Alabama’s final drive. Keelon Russell took a deep shot toward Rico Scott, who was hit going for the ball, and no pass interference flag came out. Fans booed for the rest of the game. Russell was sacked on the next snap, which pushed Alabama out of field goal range and forced a punt.

Georgia took over with 3:10 left, and a personal foul on cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. on third-and-2 gave the Bulldogs the first down they needed to kneel out the clock.

“We can’t put the game in the situation where the officials come into play. We got to control the things we control,” Kalen DeBoer said of the no-call.

“You just cost us the damn game!” —Kalen DeBoer to Alabama CB Dijon Lee Jr. after a costly personal foul call.

This isn’t what a coach should tell one of his players in public, but I have a feeling Alabama fans are gonna love seeing this fire from him.

https://t.co/F6Kti2Gowc

— Alex Byington (@_AlexByington) October 11, 2026

Is Alabama facing an SEC fine?

Georgia was on the receiving end of a similar scene two years ago. On Oct. 19, 2024, Texas fans threw water bottles and trash onto the field in Austin after a pass interference penalty briefly wiped out a Jahdae Barron interception against Georgia. Officials reversed the call, and the SEC fined Texas $250,000 the next day.

“The throwing of debris and resulting interruption of play that took place Saturday night cannot be part of any SEC event,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said at the time.

The league also required Texas to identify and suspend the fans responsible and to review its alcohol policies, with alcohol sales at risk if the school failed to comply.

The Austin debris stopped a game in progress. Saturday’s came after the clock ran out, with visiting players walking toward the tunnel, which puts the safety of an opposing team at the center of any review the conference opens.

Alabama had its own bottles thrown at it in Baton Rouge in November 2024, when the SEC fined LSU $250,000. No statement from the SEC or Alabama on Saturday’s scene had been reported as of this report.