Re: Florida-Mizzou Brawl: SEC Issues Player Suspensions, Head Coach Fine

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SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has issued the following statement:

"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. 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."

Florida head coach Dan Mullen has been issued a reprimand by the Southeastern Conference and fined $25,000 for violating SEC Bylaws governing sportsmanship following Saturday's football game between the University of Missouri and University of Florida.

Fines levied against schools and individuals in the Conference are directed into a fund supporting the SEC's post-graduate scholarship program. Immediately following the altercation on Saturday, Florida defensive lineman Zach Carter and linebacker Antwuan Powell were ejected for the remainder of the game for fighting and Missouri outside linebacker Tre Williams was ejected for a flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct foul.

According to NCAA Football Playing Rule 9.5.1.b., ejections for fighting carry an automatic half-game suspension for the succeeding game which will result in Carter and Powell serving suspensions for the first half of Florida's game against Georgia in Jacksonville on Saturday.

In addition, following video review of the incident, the SEC Office has issued a half-game suspension for Missouri linebacker Chad Bailey, offensive lineman Dylan Spencer and defensive lineman Markell Utsey for fighting action during the altercation. Each will miss the first half of Missouri's game vs. Georgia on November 14 which follows a Missouri open date on November 7.

Fighting is defined as follows by NCAA Playing Rules:

RULE 2, SECTION 32. Fighting
ARTICLE 1. Fighting is any attempt by a player, coach or squad member in uniform to strike an opponent in a combative manner unrelated to football.
Such acts include, but are not limited to:
a. An attempt to strike an opponent with the arm(s), hand(s), leg(s) or foot (feet), whether or not there is contact.
b. An unsportsmanlike act toward an opponent that causes any opponent to retaliate by fighting (Rules 9-2-1 and 9-5-1-a-c).

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