The Ohio State Buckeyes found themselves embroiled in a post-game brawl with the Michigan Wolverines, moments after suffering a heartbreaking 13-10 defeat at the hands of their rivals.
The Wolverines’ attempt to plant their flag at midfield was met with swift and unyielding resistance from the Buckeyes, leading to a chaotic and disgraceful scene on the field.
The heated moment unfolded as Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham was giving a post-game interview on live broadcast, according to CBS Sports.
Behind him, Michigan players made their way to midfield with their school’s flag, intent on staking their claim after the monumental win.
Ohio State players, visibly angered by the gesture, stormed the area in an effort to prevent the flag from being planted, igniting the first round of on-field clashes.
Watch:
Michigan went to plant the flag at midfield for the second straight time in Columbus and Ohio State decided now was the time to do something about it pic.twitter.com/i6xo9pHpGs
— Anthony Broome (@anthonytbroome) November 30, 2024
As tensions appeared to de-escalate briefly, Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer reignited the conflict by charging at a Michigan player and tearing the flag from its pole.
This act triggered a second round of clashes, with players from both sides engaging in physical confrontations that required intervention from coaching staff, security personnel, and police officers.
Here’s the moment Jack Sawyer stormed in, ripping the flag off its pole.
Watch:
Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer rips away the Michigan flag and throws it amid the insanity after the game. Cops. Pepper spray was even used. Two Michigan players were on the ground rubbing their faces. A photographer as well. Police later lined up at 50 to build a human wall. pic.twitter.com/xANs878xe7
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) November 30, 2024
Here’s another angle:
A Michigan flag is planted in the center of The Shoe and things get even more heated between Ohio State and Michigan pic.twitter.com/fPcvJ6Z8ND
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 30, 2024
According to reports from 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello, police officers resorted to using pepper spray to diffuse the melee. At least two Michigan players and a photographer were seen wiping their faces afterward.
Multiple fights breaking out after Michigan takes down Ohio State for the 4th straight year #Buckeyes pic.twitter.com/jURVibT6kG
— Nicole Shearin (@NicoleShearintv) November 30, 2024
“For such a great game, you hate to see stuff like that after the game,” said Michigan running back Kalel Mullings, who called out Ohio State’s reaction as “classless.”
“Just bad for the sport, bad for college football. But at the end of the day, some people got to learn how to lose, man. Can’t be fighting and stuff just because you lost a game. All that fighting, we have 60 minutes, we have four quarters to do all that fighting and now you want to talk and fight. That’s wrong. It’s just bad for the game. Classless, in my opinion. People got to be better.”