ACC suspends NC State, North Carolina players after huge brawl (Update)
Update: Nov. 26 – 10:30 a.m. ET
The ACC has announced reprimands and suspensions following the fight between North Carolina and NC State.
Four UNC players — defensive back linebacker Dominique Ross, cornerback Patrice Rene, safety J.K. Britt and defensive tackle Jeremiah Clarke — and three NC State players — defensive back Freddie Phillips, Jr. and offensive lineman Tyler Jones Justin Witt — will be suspended for a half of their team’s next game.
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For UNC, that’s next year’s opener vs. South Carolina. For NC State, that will be next week’s game against East Carolina.
“The league office utilized the NCAA Playing Rules related to fighting as the foundation for the suspensions which results in disqualification for a half. Because the conduct occurred at the conclusion of the game, each student-athlete with eligibility remaining will be suspended for one half of the next game to be played by each respective institution,” the ACC said in a statement.
Original story: Nov. 24 – 5:10 p.m.
NC State was able to beat in-state rival North Carolina on Saturday in Chapel Hill to finish the regular season with an 8-3 record.
The two-win Tar Heels gave the Wolfpack, a team that was once ranked as high as No. 16 in the country, a fight all the way to the end. But NC State pulled out a 34-28 victory with a Reggie Gallaspy touchdown run in overtime.
That’s when the real fight began. Literally.
After Gallaspy’s winning score, there were plenty of punches thrown in the end zone.
The action did not end after NC State scored the game-winning TD in OT 😳
(via @ESPN) pic.twitter.com/bViAaxU23r
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 24, 2018
It is rivalry week, after all. And these teams are certainly rivals.
It was only two years ago that there was a brawl near midfield when the Tar Heels and Wolfpack met.
UNC finished the season 2-9 with the loss and is a combined 5-18 (2-14 ACC) over the past two years. Larry Fedora, who was fired Sunday, had an, um, interesting take on the fight.
"There was no fight. Not to my knowledge."
"What would you call it?"
"Their team was celebrating and our team was celebrating."
"What was your team celebrating?"
"My team wasn't celebrating. Their team was celebrating in our end zone….But there wasn't any fight."— Lauren Brownlow (@lebrownlow) November 24, 2018
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