Five players have been suspended and coach Dan Mullen has been fined for their actions in Saturday night's fight between Florida and Missouri. The incident occurred as the teams headed into their locker rooms at halftime. The brawl was sparked after Gators quarterback Kyle Trask was hit up high and late by Tigers defensive lineman Trajan Jeffcoat following Trask heaving up a Hail Mary on the last play of the half, and no penalty was called on the play.
Mullen ran onto the field, benches emptied and punches flew in the nearly two-minute brawl.
Mullen has been docked $25,000 and was issued a public reprimand by the conference for violating the SEC sportsmanship bylaws. That fine will be directed into a fund supporting the SEC's post-graduate scholarship program.
Florida defensive lineman Zachary Carter and linebacker Antwuan Powell were ejected for fighting and must serve a mandatory half-game suspension this week vs. Georgia as a result of the penalties. Missouri linebacker Chad Bailey, offensive lineman Dylan Spencer and defensive lineman Markell Utsey will also receive half-game suspensions for fighting. The Tigers are off this week, so the trio will serve their suspensions on Nov. 13, also vs. Georgia.
"There is no place in college football for the kind of incident that took place at halftime of the Missouri at Florida game Saturday night," said SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. "Everyone involved is responsible for meeting sportsmanship standards throughout each game. Running on the field to confront a game official, the gathering of teams in an on-field confrontation and student-athletes throwing punches are all disappointing at any time, but even more so as we work to support healthy competition during a pandemic."
Missouri linebacker Tre Williams was also ejected for flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct during the incident. He will not miss action on Nov. 14 because that penalty does not carry a mandatory suspension.
No. 8 Florida and No. 5 Georgia will meet in Jacksonville at 3:30 p.m. ET in the SEC on CBS Game of the Week.
