The Big Ten Conference said it will not punish Michigan or Michigan State for a skirmish that occurred at the end of Saturday’s rivalry game, a 24-17 win for the Wolverines.
In the closing seconds of the contest, U-M tight end Colston Loveland and MSU defensive end Anthony Jones ignited an incident that led to both benches clearing. In the commotion, individuals from both programs fell to the ground among a scrum. Michigan State asked the Big Ten to investigate whether Michigan deserved any punishment under the league’s sportsmanship policy; at question was whether U-M players were acting violently toward a “staffer and a player” who were potentially prone on the turf.
The Big Ten’s reply, issued Tuesday afternoon, said video evidence was inconclusive as to whether any individual sanctions were appropriate. The conference’s statement reads, in full:
“The Big Ten Conference thoroughly reviewed video of the incident that occurred at the conclusion of Saturday’s Michigan-Michigan State football game. Amidst the confrontation, student-athletes from both teams were on the ground and surrounded by so many individuals that both players were completely obscured from view. The video review was inconclusive as to whether individual discipline was appropriate for anyone in the immediate vicinity of the two players who were on the ground.
“While the confrontation was a disappointing conclusion to the contest, the Conference appreciates the efforts made by staff from both teams, security personnel, and game officials to rapidly de-escalate the incident, as well as the responses by both head coaches. The Big Ten discussed the situation with both institutions and determined that no further action will be taken.”
You can watch a video of the incident, as broadcast by the Big Ten Network, below:
A fight breaks out after Michigan takes the knee to seal the win vs Michigan State ? pic.twitter.com/xHedEDaBLB
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 27, 2024
At his postgame press conference Saturday night, Loveland said he had gotten “carried away” by participating in the post-play scuffle with Jones that ignited the fracas.
“I know how much this rivalry means to everyone,” Loveland said. “And, you know, it always gets chippy. I kind of got carried away there at the end. You know, we were just talking back and forth, kind of did some shoving and stuff. But, you know, that’s how the rivalry gets. And, you know, it’s all just the heat of the moment, coming off two losses, really needed this one. So just kind of got excited. But, yeah, we respect every opponent we play. You know, they’re a great football team, obviously came down to the wire. But just, like I said, super proud of the way the guys just fought and came out with the win.”
Sherrone Moore called the incident “unacceptable,” a sentiment he expressed postgame Saturday night and during Monday’s weekly press conference.
“I told the team it was unacceptable regardless of what happened and how it started,” Moore said Saturday. “There was guys chirping at us and us responding. You know, the guy head-butted Colston at the end. Our job is to represent this university. It’s not to respond to that. It’s to let the refs handle that. So something that we’ll handle internally and make sure we take care of. But that’s not Michigan football. That’s not who we are.”
Moore added Monday that the Wolverines will handle any punishments internally and declined comment about whether any players will be suspended.
“Unacceptable. Not how we carry ourselves. We’ll address that internally,” he said. “That’s not how we represent the University of Michigan, the block M or the winged helmet. We’ll take care of that, and that will never happen again. That’s all I’ll answer about that.”
The Wolverines host No. 1 Oregon on Saturday at Michigan Stadium, while MSU will face No. 13 Indiana in East Lansing.
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