KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It was a moment imprinted in Tennessee football history when the Vols defeated Alabama on Saturday.
"Yesterday was probably the best day of my life," said Chris Hollander, a UT student.
Vol fans jumped up and down when Tennessee beat Alabama for the first time since 2006.
"I was on the front row and I was one of like, the first people on the field," Hollander said. "I ran out there and I almost started crying."
Many said they were "partying up" until Sunday morning.
"Until two hours ago I think," said Carson Shade, a UT student. "I was partying until 10, yeah, probably until 10 a.m. today."
But all the fun has now left them with a lot to clean up. Jax Khadeli, another UT student, was one of the many that helped clean up the mess that was made the night before.
"Some orange juice from the tailgate and [I] also have a shovel to clean up this heinous mess you see behind you," Khadeli said.
There is trash everywhere inside and outside some fraternities. But among the garbage, there are pieces of the game-winning goalposts.
"I was looking over I just see the thing wobbling and then eventually fell," said Jack Wadley, a UT student.
"They ran through Cumberland with it, took it to the Tennessee River and then they threw it in there," said Grant Pinson, a UT student.
But where is the rest of it? Some students said it was sawed into pieces.
"Some of the guys wore it on their necks," Khadeli said. "Other people were probably wearing it on their heads or as crowns."
"I'm sure a lot of those pieces are going to be hanging up in people's houses for the rest of their lives," Hollander said.
Fishing for the other goalpost
The last time Vol fans threw the goalposts in the river was in 1998 when they defeated Florida. The Vols defeated the Crimson Tide after 16 long years, so they tore down the goalposts and paraded them through Knoxville's streets.
"I can see when things get excited you can do crazy things," said Terrell Kerr, a boat owner.
Now UTK Stormwater is trying to fish it out.
"We just tried to look to see where it went in," said Garrett Ferry, UTK Stormwater manager.
But Ferry said that it wasn't obvious. He said he was out of town when it happened and he was looking for the location where it all started. Based on its weight, he wasn't able to determine where it might have drifted.
"I think it probably floated for a little while," Ferry said. "But given that they kind of broke it, I would assume that it took on water and sank."
For now, crews will continue to look for them, and Ferry said it's not more hazardous than a stick floating on water, but some boat owners may be concerned.
"If you find a goalpost on the river, you don't want to leave it in the lake because we might hit it with the propellers or something," Kerr said.
If they find it, Ferry said if it's usable they may keep it as a spare upright, or if it's not they will just recycle it.
For now, UT Athletics said it already has a set of replacements ready for the next game. It plans to order a new set to put in storage as spares.