On Saturday, the No. 1 Auburn Tigers basketball team hosts the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers for the first-ever top-10 matchup between the two teams.
Ahead of the big game, ESPN was on campus for "College GameDay." A massive line of students showed up to pack Neville Arena for the morning show and to receive a wristband for entry into the game later in the day at 7:30 p.m.
Because of the abnormal cold this week, students were unable to camp out on Thursday and Friday before the big games as they have in the past. This resulted in a chaotic Saturday morning that left multiple students injured when barricades were removed and students rushed to be first in line.
The line for The Jungle is open! #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/W6ugxxLX6v
— E2C Network: The Auburn Experience (@E2C_Network) January 25, 2025
However, members of The Jungle, Auburn's student section, and parents were critical of how the gameday changes played out.
Let me preface this by saying that I love Auburn, that being said, this is the worst way we could’ve done this. Multiple reports of broken noses, legs, wrists, etc.. multiple trampled victims, and just overall a terrible experience for everyone involved. I would’ve taken… https://t.co/8k0DWEFemx
— Brent Jordan✈️ (@Brentski_15) January 25, 2025
I love my @AuburnTigers but I think all parents of students would agree that they have to come up with a better way to do basketball tickets. A lottery like they do for football or something…it’s ridiculous that my son was almost trampled this morning.
— Amy Hyde (@Amy_Lissa) January 25, 2025
I was here at 4:30 in the morning and right in front of the barracades. Now 7:40 and im still nowhere near getting in despite being one of thr first ones here. Also nearly got killed. I was trampled.
— Bruce Pearls Burner (@notbrucepearl69) January 25, 2025
I love you guys, but this is a false statement. Lots of kids trampled, bones broken, and an extremely dangerous situation. I’d reword this unless you are condoning your students being injured for a basketball game. My son was 1 of first 100 in line and is not in arena. FYI https://t.co/gUa7ggje75
— ElishaLehman (@ElishaLehman) January 25, 2025
My daughter is a junior at AU. Shstood in line like all the students to be a part of GameDay. She didn’t get in because she was concerned about her safety. AU tied the students’ entrance to the Tennessee game tonight to their attendance of the ESPN Gameday television production.
— Jacob Harper (@Jacob_Harper52) January 25, 2025
Auburn University put out a statement saying some students rushed around security and jumped barricades, "which impacted the students trying to enter the barricades in orderly fashion." The university added it would review video of the incident to prevent this from happening at future games.
Full statement from Auburn as follows:
Extreme weather conditions during the course of the week forced Auburn to make the difficult decision to disallow the traditional premier match-up camp out which occurs in Jungle Village, and allows students to line up gradually over a period of time.
As temperatures deemed a camp out to be unsafe, the student line was announced to open at 6:30 a.m., prior to doors opening for students and fans at 7 a.m. For a brief moment upon line opening, a group of students rushed around the side of security, working personnel and students who had staged near the barricade entry.
Those students began jumping barricades to gain entry which impacted the students trying to enter the barricades in an orderly fashion. All students in line in advance of this morning’s live broadcast – including students who walked up after the initial line was cleared – were admitted to the arena and provided with a wristband for entry to tonight’s game.
On site medical staff reported a few minor injures which were addressed locally by EMS. Auburn is reviewing feedback and video footage from the line to develop plans for future games to ensure student safety.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email trent.baker@1819news.com.
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