Senior linebacker Raylen Wilson recorded a team-high nine tackles for Georgia during the college football game on Saturday. However, it was his bizarre interaction with an Alabama fan that went most viral on social media.
He showed the utmost maturity in walking away.
Kirby Smart was proud of how his college football team acted in victory. They made sure to avoid conflict and did not react to poor behavior by the opposing fanbase on their way off of the field.
A fan slapped Georgia linebacker Raylen Wilson in the helmet.
The incident in question took place after the game. The Bulldogs defeated the Crimson Tide by a final score of 20-17.
Alabama fans were not happy with the loss and threw beer bottles onto the field (at players and officials) to show their displeasure. Georgia’s coaching staff told players to keep and/or put their helmets on as they walked back to the locker room to avoid danger.
Meanwhile, a fan wearing a Barbour jacket got into an altercation with Raylen Wilson. Wilson said after the game that he thought the man was on his side so he went over to celebrate with him. That was very much not the case. He was an Alabama fan.
“Let’s go boy! Let’s go boy! Get the f— out of here!”
The linebacker looked confused by the interaction but he did not respond. Smart was proud of him for keeping his composure.
“I don’t know that you can predict to make good decisions and do things the right way. Raylen certainly did there. There’s so much that goes into that and he thought it was a Georgia fan. Probably helped react the way he did initially. You know, disappointing behavior by any fan, and certainly nothing we condone. I’m sure Alabama doesn’t condone it either.”
Smart is right. However, the mystery has yet to be solved.
Alabama continues to investigate the incident.
Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald reached out to Alabama on Monday. The university does not tolerate such behavior.
“We are disappointed by the unacceptable behavior exhibited by some of the game’s attendees Saturday night and are in the process of gathering information. Alabama takes matters of fan conduct seriously and expects everyone at our events to demonstrate respect to the student-athletes, coaches, staff, officials and visitors. Such conduct will not be tolerated.”
The university is working to identify the individual who swiped at Wilson’s head, which should not be that hard. Once it has figured out who he is, it will then decide whether or not to take action. I would imagine that he will be banned from the stadium for at least the remainder of the season. His behavior might even warrant a lifetime ban.
It also sounds like the university is working to identify some of the fans who threw beer bottles at the players because the statement refers to more than one attendee. Given the amount of surveillance at these kinds of big games, I would not be surprised if the school hands down multiple sanctions for any fan who threw an object on to the field. Stay tuned.