Unnecessary egoistic fights in college football are getting out of hand and need to stop!

Given the rise in fights, it is high time that college football players begin to approach the game as professionals.

Unnecessary egoistic fights in college football are getting out of hand and need to stop!

Wolverines hoist flag after win against OSU (Image via Open Source)

This weekend’s CFB showdowns gave fans a double-sport thrill. After the football games had concluded, the celebration of the winning teams sparked fights that led to a WWE-like atmosphere. While it is nothing new to witness brawls break out during games, they are ten times as heated in rivalry games.

On rivalry Saturday, four of the 12 games witnessed a physical altercation between players of opposing teams after the game. The reason? The winning team attempted to rub salt in the wounds of their hosts by making a statement, one of which was to plant a flag at midfield, recreating Baker Mayfield’s iconic celebration against OSU.

YouTube video

It began with a rivalry that has existed since time immemorial after the Michigan Wolverines beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 13-10. The victors rightfully brought out a flag bearing the University’s logo to OSU’s midfield and planted it. This did not sit well with the home team who decided to reign in on their parade and this led to a fight. Things got heated quickly and law enforcement agencies had to step in to break things up.

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FBS fight weekend summarized

Apart from this, fights broke out in Alabama’s 28-14 win over Auburn after defensive back DeVonta Smith continued to stay on KeAndre Lambert-Smith’s toes despite an incomplete pass and the play ended. The two went onto the Auburn sidelines and their altercation attracted players from the home team who stepped in. Ultimately, this brawl resulted in penalties for two players of the Crimson Tide.

FSU vs FG
FSU players go after the Gators who attempted to plant their flag on the field (Image via Open Source)

The third altercation took place between UNC and NC State after the latter beat the former 35-30. DK Kaufman of NC State attempted to plant the University’s flag but UNC wideout JJ Jones charged at him, took the flag, and threw it. This resulted in a brawl.

The final altercation took place between Florida and Florida State. As the Gators won 31-11 over the Seminoles, Florida’s edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. planted a flag on FSU’s 50-yard line which led to a physical altercation.

It is unprecedented to see these many fights break out in one single weekend in college football history. Considering this, the question that ought to be asked is should stringent action be taken against players who initiate such fights after games. The simple response is yes.

Players must learn to take their losses in stride

Losing hurts. It is that simple and when one loses by a bigger margin in a rivalry game, there is no feeling worse. The emotions involved in these games are more but it is not the end of the world. There will always be a bigger rivalry in the future and while it is understandable that one would not wish to be disrespected on their home turf, initiating a fight is not going to make things better.

Michigan Wolverines and OSU players get into it
Michigan Wolverines and OSU players get into it (Image via AP)

The loss will still be a loss. One year from today, the fans are not going to remember the fact that the players attempted to save what is left of their pride and stopped their opponents from planting a flag on their field.

The only fact that will be remembered is that one won and the other lost. Losing hurts but getting into fights reflects poorly on the character of the person moreover, if things had gone wrong and somebody wound up hurt then the entire life of the attacker could be in jeopardy due to the legal repercussions of their action.

Football players are some of the most passionate players who are willing to die on the field. Stepping onto the gridiron while representing a respected football program is a matter of pride for them. The same sense of pride and admiration that they have towards the University that took a chance on them tends to get in their way during losses. Shoving the opposition or getting in their after they are beaten fair and square negatively impacts the reputation of the program.

So does that mean these athletes should just stand there and watch their opponents take over their field? The answer to this question lies in the NFL. After teams lose a Super Bowl or a close playoff game, when the victor is celebrating amidst a shower of confetti and dancing all over the field, how often is it that one sees the losing team’s players attempt to stop them from revelling in the moment? Altercations in the NFL happen in between games and not after.

This is because NFL players are true professionals that understand winning and losing is a part of the sport. Losing hurts but attempting to pick a fight is not going to help anybody. College football players are student athletes that are aspiring professional athletes. If one is interested in becoming a professional, then one must behave in a similar manner.

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It is high time that college football players understand this too. Play the game like a true professional, after a loss, shake the opponent’s hand, get off the field but do not forget that moment. Do not forget the emotions and the disrespect that the loss and the subsequent celebration of the rivals brought upon the program. Use it as motivation to come back better and stronger next year.

Related: (Video) BYU’s late touchdown against Houston leads to both teams getting into a vicious fight