College Football’s Rivalry Weekend Marred by Brawls and Flag-Planting Incidents
College football’s rivalry weekend was marked by a series of unseemly incidents, including brawls and flag-planting disputes between teams. The escalations were sparked by teams planting their flags at centerfield in their rivals’ stadiums, a trend that has become increasingly common.
The most notable incident occurred during the 120th edition of “The Game” between Michigan and Ohio State, which saw a Michigan player attempt to plant a Michigan banner on the Buckeyes logo at midfield. The act was met with pushing and shoving, and eventually punches being thrown by members of both teams. It took several minutes for stadium security and police to separate the two teams, with pepper spray being deployed to regain control.
Similar incidents occurred at other stadiums over the weekend. In the Florida Gators’ matchup against the Florida State Seminoles, a Florida defensive end planted a flag on the Seminoles’ logo, only to have it quickly toppled by Seminoles players, leading to scuffles. The Big Ten Conference later fined both teams $100,000 for their roles in the postgame fight.
In the North Carolina (NC) State-University of North Carolina (UNC) rivalry game, NC State running back Hollywood Smothers punched in a touchdown with 25 seconds left, only for UNC wide receiver JJ Jones to seize the flag before it could be planted on the logo, leading to confrontations on the field. The Wolfpack later celebrated with a flag lap around the field, with safety DK Kaufman holding the flag aloft.
The Arizona State Sun Devils, meanwhile, got creative with their postgame taunting, with defensive lineman Jacob Rich Kongaika planting a trident in Arizona’s logo. Wildcats wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig then snatched it away, leading to a brief scuffle over the fork.
The incidents marred what was otherwise a successful weekend for many teams, with coaches and players expressing regret and disappointment over the behavior. The Big Ten Conference’s fine of $100,000 each to Michigan and Ohio State was a stark reminder of the repercussions of such actions, with the hope being that cooler heads will prevail in the future.