A scuffle erupted at midfield following Michigan’s surprise victory over No. 2 Ohio State by a score of 13-10. The altercation began when Wolverines players tried to plant their flag on the OSU logo but were met with resistance from the Buckeyes.
Amidst the chaos, law enforcement authorities resorted to using pepper spray to intervene as players engaged in physical altercations, overshadowing the intense rivalry between the two teams. An officer sustained unspecified injuries during the mayhem and required hospitalization, as reported by a police union representative.
Following the initial confrontation, Ohio State players confronted their opponents at midfield, leading to defensive end Jack Sawyer seizing and tearing down the Wolverines’ flag from its pole. The conflict escalated towards the Michigan bench before authorities stepped in to diffuse the situation.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day said he understood his players’ actions.
“There are some prideful guys on our team who weren’t going to sit back and let that happen,” Day said.
The two Ohio State players made available after the game brushed off questions about it.
Michigan running back Kalel Mullings, who rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown, said he didn’t like how the Buckeyes players involved themselves in the Wolverines’ postgame celebration, calling it “classless.”
“For such a great game, you hate to see stuff like that after the game,” he told Fox Sports in an on-field interview. “It’s just bad for the sport, bad for college football. But at the end of the day, you know some people got to – they got to learn how to lose, man. … We had 60 minutes, we had four quarters, to do all that fighting.”
Ohio State police said in a statement that “multiple officers representing Ohio and Michigan deployed pepper spray.” University police said they will continue to investigate the brawl.
Brian Steel, president of the police union representing officers in Franklin County, posted on social media that an officer was injured.
“Officers are authorized to use pepper spray to stop assaults and protect themselves and others,” Steel added.
Michigan players could be seen rubbing their eyes after exposure to the chemical irritant.
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said both teams could have handled the situation differently.
“So much emotions on both sides,” he said. “Rivalry games get heated, especially this one. It’s the biggest one in the country, so we got to handle that better.”
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