While it wasn’t as dire as 2022, another fight between the Michigan and Michigan State football teams is being investigated by the Big Ten Conference, Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller said Monday.
In the final moments of Michigan’s 24-17 home win over Michigan State on Saturday, Spartans defensive lineman Anthony Jones and Wolverines tight end Colston Loveland began to scuffle, and both teams left the sidelines as the clock ticked down.
Loveland was seen headbutting Jones with his helmet on, and later in the fracas, Michigan running Kalel Mullings appeared to be stomping on a player at the bottom of a pile.
Haller said Monday he would not pursue criminal charges, which happened in 2022 when a fight broke out between the same programs in the tunnel of Michigan Stadium, leading to criminal charges for seven Spartans players.
“I don’t think that situation (in 2022) should have been a criminal incident, and I don’t think this should be as well,” Haller said. “This is a sportsmanship policy situation, and the conference will look at it. And it’s my wish that the same standard that everyone’s held to, that (Michigan) be held to the same standard. But I do not believe that incident or this incident is a criminal situation.”
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore called the fight “unacceptable” during his press conference Monday and said discipline would be handled internally.
The 2022 fight resulted in a $100,000 fine for Michigan State, the largest in Big Ten history, and an eight-game suspension for Michigan State’s Khary Crump along with four-game bans for six other Spartans players. The players saw their charges reduced in court.
Neither the two head coaches nor the conference commissioner involved in 2022 are still in place. Jim Harbaugh left the Wolverines for the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers after winning a national championship last winter; Mel Tucker was fired for cause by Michigan State after a sexual harassment scandal; and commissioner Kevin Warren left the Big Ten to become the president and CEO of the NFL’s Chicago Bears.
Tony Petitti now leads the Big Ten, and Haller explained what he hopes and expects from Petitti’s office.
“We have a new commissioner. We have new leadership in the conference office,” Haller said. “My wish is that the new leadership handles this in a clean slate and treat every school with the same standard.”
