CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Atlantic Coast Conference fined four of its schools on Monday for scuffles that broke out during rivalry week in college football, which had a rash of fights between players who attempted to plant flags and other team symbols on their rivals’ fields.
North Carolina and N.C. State were fined for a brawl that started when Wolfpack players attempted to plant a flag on North Carolina’s field after beating the Tar Heels 35-30 on Saturday. Virginia and Virginia Tech were fined for a pregame scuffle.
The ACC said the teams’ actions violated the league’s sportsmanship policy and called what happen at both games unacceptable. The league did not disclose the amount of the fines, but said they would be the maximum allowed by league bylaws. The money collected from the fines will go into the ACC’s postgraduate scholarship account.
At North Carolina, the teams had to be separated near midfield. The brawl overshadowed coach Mack Brown’s final game.
At Blacksburg, players from the Cavaliers and Hokies mixed it up during pregame warmups and had to be separated.
The Big Ten Conference fined Michigan and Ohio State $100,000 each on Sunday for a fight that broke out in Columbus, Ohio, after Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag at midfield. That one had to be broken up by police officers, who deployed pepper spray to quell the melee. One officer suffered a head injury when he was “trampled” and was taken to a hospital, a police official said. The officer has since been released.
Arizona State defensive lineman Jacob Rich Kongaika tried to plant a team trident in the middle of Arizona’s logo after a 49-7 win over the Wildcats.
Florida edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. planted a flag on Florida State’s logo after a 31-11 win, sparking another melee.