Jim Harbaugh says two players 'assaulted,' one has nasal injury after MSU players apparently attack Michigan players in tunnel postgame
Jim Harbaugh did not mince words when addressed the fight that took place in the tunnel at Michigan Stadium following Michigan’s win over Michigan State.
Following a heated rivalry win, a number of Michigan State players were seen on video apparently attacking a Michigan player in the tunnel after the game. Subsequent video showed MSU head coach Mel Tucker coming in to break up the incident.
In his postgame press conference, Harbaugh was crystal clear about what he thought of the brawl.
“Two of our players were assaulted. You saw the one video, the 10 on 1. Pretty bad,” Harbaugh said according to Austin Meek of The Athletic. Harbaugh added one had a nasal injury, potentially a broken nose. He also said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel would address the incident.
“It needs to be investigated and brought to a conclusion,” he added, according to Chris Solari of The Detroit Free Press.
Multiple reports have added that the University police will be investigating the incident.
Manuel has apparently already spoken with conference commissioner Kevin Warren. A number of the accounts from reporters covering the game indicate that the Michigan athletic director was extremely upset with what happened after the game.
“This is not the way another team should grab a player and do what they did. It’s completely and utterly unacceptable,” Manuel said according to Meek.
Matt Wenzel of MLive posted a picture of Warren, Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller and a police officer, apparently discussing the fight.
What will come in terms of punishment for this incident remains unclear — as does the full scale of the injuries or aftermath — but this is clearly something more than the usual postgame scuffle.
For now, more details are sure to trickle out before any formal actions are taken — suspensions or otherwise.