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On Saturday, October 29, 2022, an ugly scuffle broke out in the Michigan Stadium tunnel between several Michigan State players and a single Michigan player in the aftermath of the Wolverines' 29-7 victory against the Spartans (MSU).
ESPN video footage showed several MSU players pinning a (Michigan University) Wolverine before shoving and hitting him. In a press conference, Jim Harbaugh, head coach for U-M, stated
"Two of our players were assaulted. I saw the one video, it's 10-on-one. Pretty bad."
The brawl took place in the shared tunnel post-match. While the reason for what started the fight is still unclear, a video posted on Twitter by Matt Charboneau,@mattcharboneau, of The Detroit News, shows a few MSU players assaulting who appears to be Ja'Den McBurrows. Linebacker Itayvion Brown grabbed the player and pushed him through the doorway, after which a Michigan State Police Officer held him back.
Disclaimer: The videos in this article contain graphic violence; viewer discretion is advised.
The video footage released by ESPN shows a Spartan holding and hitting a Michigan Wolverine while another swings his helmet. This more extended footage, taken from a different angle, gives a time estimate.
The videos show both coaches trying to usher their teams into their respective lockers.
The incident was under strict investigation by the police, the Big Ten authorities, and the schools. On Sunday, October 30, four Michigan State players (Spartans) - Tank Brown, Khary Crump, Angelo Grose, and Zion Young - were placed on an indefinite athletic suspension until the investigation was complete.
On Tuesday, November 1, Michigan State announced four additional players who faced athletic suspension, effective immediately: Malcolm Jones, Justin White, Jacoby Windmon, and Brandon Wright.
"Gemon was punched, and then Ja'Den was trying to help": Video footage pins Michigan State students
Two Wolverines, Gemon Green and Ja'Den McBurrows, were injured after the fight. McBurrows required medical attention for his facial injuries, as per Kerrie Bryan, McBurrow's mother, whereas Green suffered a concussion and cuts to his face, according to Tom Mars, Green's attorney.
Greens' attorney, Tom Mars, stated,
"Not only does Gemon Green deserve to be compensated for his injuries, severe consequences in this case will deter others who might think they can get away with brutally beating an opposing player and getting a slap on the wrist. I’ve got news for the MSU players who did this to Gemon. They are going to feel the full extent of the law."
In a joint statement, Alan Haller, Michigan State's vice president and director of athletics, and head football coach Mel Tucker stated,
"Michigan State University athletics and the football program are committed to the highest level of sportsmanship. We are transparently working with law enforcement and the Big Ten Conference to evaluate additional facts and evidence surrounding the events in Ann Arbor. We will continue to take appropriate action in this matter as we learn more."
The brawl brings to light the issues with older venues having a single tunnel that leads to the locker rooms. This was a popular design feature in the early 20th century. Modern stadiums have separate tunnels for home and visiting teams, thereby avoiding any possibility of a scuffle.
