UNC, NC State Fined by ACC After Viral Fight Video Following Flag-Planting Attempt
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZucker
Featured Columnist IVDecember 2, 2024
The ACC announced Monday it fined North Carolina and North Carolina State for the on-field altercation that followed the Wolfpack's 35-30 victory over the Tar Heels.
Both schools received a "public reprimand" as well.
In what was a similar scene at multiple stadiums around the country, tempers flared when NC State players attempted to plant a flag into the turf at Kenan Stadium. North Carolina wide receiver J.J. Jones grabbed the flag pole and hurled it like a javelin toward the sideline.
This was far from an isolated incident.
In the most extreme case, Ohio State and Michigan were fined $100,000 each after their players got into a shoving match at Ohio Stadium. Police on the scene also used pepper spray, adding to the chaotic atmosphere.
For now, it's up to individual conferences to police themselves. ACC commissioner Jim Phillips told Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger a more uniform solution might be required to curb postgame celebrations that are perceived to cross a line.
"We have to collectively come together," he said. "We can do things independently as conferences, but we need to all come together, and our approach must be aggressive. This is unacceptable."
It doesn't appear that any suspensions will result from Saturday's incident with North Carolina and NC State. The ACC said in its release the conference "considers this matter closed."
The Wolfpack and Tar Heels have crossed paths more than 100 times on the gridiron, with the rivalry dating all the way back to 1894. The players need little in the way of added motivation to get up for this one every year.
Despite neither school meeting expectations, UNC and NC State both had some increased stakes for Saturday's installment.
The Tar Heels could've sent head coach Mack Brown out on a high after the school announced his ouster days earlier, and a win would've denied the Wolfpack bowl-eligibility. Instead, NC State got to 6-6 and ended Brown's second tenure in Chapel Hill with a loss.
