Rogue Opossum Rushes the Field at a College Football Game — And Refuses to Leave

Lizzy Rosenberg
·2 min read
1

The marsupial ran onto the field during Texas Tech's game on Thursday

<p>Josh Hedges/Getty</p> An opossum is removed from the field during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on Nov. 2, 2023 in Lubbock, Texas

Josh Hedges/Getty

An opossum is removed from the field during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on Nov. 2, 2023 in Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech's football game against Texas Christian University got rowdier than usual on Thursday night.

The game, which took place at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, took an unexpected turn after the first quarter when an opossum scampered onto the field, according to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.

Footage of the event has since gone viral, largely due to the opossum's reaction of being chased off the field. After dodging animal control, the marsupial was eventually dragged away by animal control with a catch pole.

<p>Josh Hedges/Getty</p> An opossum is removed from the field during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on Nov. 2, 2023 in Lubbock, Texas

Josh Hedges/Getty

An opossum is removed from the field during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on Nov. 2, 2023 in Lubbock, Texas

Related: College Football Player Gives His Scholarship to Teammate Who Was Donating His Plasma to Afford School

The video of the opossum encounter has since gone viral on X. "HE PAID FOR HIS TICKET LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHY ARE YOU REMOVING HIM," a user on the platform jokingly posted in response to one of the videos.

Some speculate the opossum brought Texas Tech good luck, per HuffPost, as the university won 35 to 28.

<p>Josh Hedges/Getty</p> An opossum is removed from the field during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on Nov. 2, 2023 in Lubbock, Texas

Josh Hedges/Getty

An opossum is removed from the field during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on Nov. 2, 2023 in Lubbock, Texas

Photographer Annie Rice confirmed in a post on X tweet that after being detained, the creature was able to meet none other than Texas Tech's president, Lawrence Schovanec, who was photographed petting the opossum.

"Ok y’all: A possum ran on to the field during the Texas Tech-TCU game, was detained by Animal Control AND had a pet from Tech president Lawrence Schovanec," Rice wrote on X.

Related: Tom Brady Quietly Volunteered at an Animal Shelter During Final NFL Season: 'Helping His Community'

This isn't the first time a rogue animal has interrupted a football game. In 2019, a black cat garnered social media fame after crashing a New York Giants-Dallas Cowboy football game at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

After escaping field officials, the feline darted into the crowd before running right back onto the field and making a quick exit through one of the tunnels.

"He’s walking to the three, he’s at the two… and the cat runs into the endzone!” Kevin Harlan announced on Westwood One radio at the time. “That is a touchdown! The cat is elusive!”

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