Terrifying moment photographer at a college football game is knocked unconscious by running back
- A University of Georgia player runs into a photographer at the end of a play against Auburn University, knocking her briefly unconscious
- Chamberlain Smith, a UGA photographer, was sent hard to ground and was taken away on a stretcher at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium
- Running back Brian Herrien was knocked out of bounds at the 4-yard-line, before colliding with Smith
- Smith, who had a bruised eye, was treated and released at an area hospital
- Herrien was not hurt in the incident, and scored a touchdown on the first play after resumption
Shocking footage shows the moment a photographer is knocked unconscious when a football player crashes into her on the sidelines of a game.
Photographer Chamberlain Smith was leveled on her back by University of Georgia Bulldogs running back Brian Herrien, during the game against Auburn University on Saturday.
In footage picked up by TV cameras, Herrien is pushed out of bounds at the 4-yard line as he steams toward the end zone in the second quarter at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium in Alabama.
But Herrien couldn’t stop his momentum and slammed into Smith, who was on her knee for a camera angle.
His knee is seen smacking into the photographer’s head, sending her flat on her stomach where she remains motionless.
University of Georgia running back Brian Herrien (top red helmet) is seen barreling toward the sidelines, but about to be taken out of bounds in a game against Auburn University
A sideline photographer for the University of Georgia, Chamberlain Smith, was tackled by the team’s running back. Smith was briefly unconscious on the field, but quickly recovered and was released from a hospital
Herrien collided with University of Georgia student photographer Chamberlain Smith, knocking her unconscious for several minutes
Photographer Chamberlain Smith is hit by Brian Herrien (35) at Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium
Herrien stood over her with concern as medical staff quickly arrived to check on her.
Smith was placed on a stretcher and her eyes seemed to be open, although her right eye was bruised.
The running back was ‘pretty upset’ by the injury and prayed for Smith with Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm, CBS sideline reporter Jamie Erdahl said.
‘It was really a scary moment,’ Georgia head coach Kirby Smart told The Advocate.com. ‘Brian felt very sick about it. It was a tough deal, but hopefully she’s going to be OK. I think she is.’
Brian Herrien (35) stands near Chamberlain Smith, who is seen flat on her stomach after he ran into her on the sidelines
Photographer Chamberlain Smith is transported by stretcher to an area hospital Saturday after a hard hit by UGA running back Brian Herrien
Medical crews reacted swiftly to take Chamberlain Smith to hospital
The university tweeted after the collision: ‘Please be praying hard for Chamberlain Smith. Photographer and UGA student who went down on sidelines.’
After being checked at a local hospital, Smith was treated and released.
She’s a photojournalist and lifestyle photographer from Chattanooga, Tennessee, who earned a photojournalism degree at Georgia.
Herrien wasn’t injured in the crash, and even ran for a touchdown on the first play after action resumed.