Big Ten suspends Michigan State's Spencer Brown for first half vs. Minnesota for Michigan ejection

Michigan State right tackle Spencer Brown was suspended for the first half of the upcoming game against Minnesota.

The Big Ten Conference penalized Brown for a late hit against Michigan last weekend. The Spartans lost to their in-state rival 49-0.

The Big Ten released a statement regarding the punishment.

“The Big Ten Conference office announced today that Michigan State right tackle Spencer Brown has been suspended for half a game, under the conference’s Sportsmanship Policy, as a result of the actions that led to Mr. Brown’s ejection for a flagrant personal foul that occurred in a game against Michigan on October 21, 2023,” the statement read.

“Brown is ineligible to play in the first half of Michigan State’s next game against Minnesota on October 28, 2023. The Big Ten Conference considers this matter concluded.”

Brown was flagged for a personal foul after he jumped on Michigan’s Braiden McGregor. Then, officials decided to eject Brown from the game.

It happened after Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil intercepted a pass from Katin Houser and returned it for six points.

“I was really proud of Braiden and the whole team with the way they handled their poise,” Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said on the ‘Inside Michigan Football’ radio show.

Harbaugh acknowledged, amid the Brown penalty and ejection, that Michigan State had a lot of activity after the whistle.

“There were a lot of cheap shots that were happening in the game,” Harbaugh said. “The hit that Braiden took to the back of the [head], just the way he kept his poise, I think that’s a great representative for all defensive players on our team.”

McGregor actually didn’t even realized what happened amid the Brown penalty.

“Honestly, I don’t even really know what happened,” McGregor said Monday. “I went to make a block and ended up on the ground, and then I thought someone fell on me. I didn’t think I didn’t think anything of it. The refs took care of it real quick. It’s a rivalry game. You kind of expect dirty things, so I didn’t really think anything of it.” 

As a member of the Class of 2019, Brown was a three-star recruit out of Commerce Township (Mich.) Walled Lake Western, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 13 overall prospect in the state, the No. 43 offensive tackle in the class and the No. 545 overall prospect in the class.