Ohio State PD releases statement after players pepper-sprayed amid brawl with Michigan

Ohio State Police has released a statement after players got pepper sprayed following Saturday’s Michigan vs. Ohio State game. The brawl occurred after the Wolverines looked to plant a flag at midfield.

Players from both teams got hit with pepper spray as police tried to break up the brawl, according to Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde, who was in the middle of it. Video from the FOX broadcast showed Michigan players appearing to wash their eyes afterward, as well.

In its statement, OSUPD said officers from both sides deployed their pepper sprays. The agency will also continue investigating.

Following the game, officers from multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in breaking up an on-field altercation. During the scuffle, multiple officers representing Ohio and Michigan deployed pepper spray. OSUPD is the lead agency for games & will continue to investigate.

— OSU Police (@OSUPOLICE) November 30, 2024

“Following the game, officers from multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in breaking up an on-field altercation,” the statement read. “During the scuffle, multiple officers representing Ohio and Michigan deployed pepper spray. OSUPD is the lead agency for games & will continue to investigate.”

Ohio State entered Saturday’s game looking to punch its ticket to the Big Ten Championship and snap its losing streak against its vaunted rival. However, Michigan’s defense held strong and didn’t allow the Buckeyes to get into a rhythm, and a field goal in the final seconds sealed the 13-10 Wolverines victory to pull off the stunner.

Once things settled down and the field started to clear, Michigan running back Kalel Mullings reacted to what just unfolded. He  said the players should’ve left it on the field rather than let it bleed over into postgame and added the two teams had four quarters to be physical, and it didn’t need to continue afterward.

“For such a great game, you hate to see stuff like that after the game,” Mullings told FOX’s Jenny Taft. “It’s just bad for the sport, bad for college football. But at the end of the day, some people, they’ve got to learn how to lose. You can’t be fighting and stuff just because you lost the game.

“All that fighting, we had 60 minutes, we had four quarters to do all that fighting. Now, people want to talk and fight. That’s wrong. It’s just bad for the game. Classless, in my opinion. People got to be better.”