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WATCH: Michigan, Michigan State players brawl in tunnel after Saturday's game

By FOX 2 Staff
Published  October 30, 2022 10:12am EDT
Michigan Wolverines
FOX 2 Detroit

Police investigating after brawl breaks out in tunnel after Michigan-Michigan State game

The video showed a single Michigan player being beaten and attacked by Michigan State University players in the tunnel after the game.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - Saturday's ugly battle between Michigan and Michigan State ended with a Wolverines win but it's what happened in the tunnel after the game that is getting more attention as video shows a group of Spartans surrounding a Wolverine player in the tunnel and shoving and pushing him.

Detroit News reporter Matt Charboneau was one of several reporters in the tunnel after the game as both teams returned to the locker room Saturday night. Charboneau captured video that showed a single Michigan player surrounded by Michigan State University players. The player appears to be sophomore defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows, who wears number 1. 

MSU players surround, beat UM player after Saturday's game in Lansing

Several Michigan State players were caught on video beating and attacking a University of Michigan player after Saturday night's game in Lansing. Video courtesy: Matt Charboneau/Detroit News.

After the beating, UM head coach Jim Harbaugh said that Athletic Director Warde Manuel will deal with the authorities regarding the "altercation" in the tunnel, but says that one player may possibly have suffered a broken nose.

Manuel says the police and the Big Ten Conference are looking into the altercation, adding it is, "Completely and utterly" unacceptable.

Not surprisingly, many students are talking about what happened in the tunnel.

"I was absolutely disgusted, honestly, it brings like a really trashy picture for the MSU football team," said Agam Kohli, a UM student.

"I’m more curious what security was doing during that time …the end of the game, I would have wanted to see more security in there," said Lilyan Zebib.

On Sunday, MSU Head Coach Mel Tucker tweeted that the team's emotions were high but there is no excuse for behavior like this.

"As Spartans our program has a responsibility to uphold the highest level of sportsmanship. While emotions were very high at the conclusion of our rivalry game at Michigan Stadium, there is no excuse for behavior that puts our team or our opponents at risk," Tucker said.

MSU President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., also issued a statement saying that the behavior was unacceptable.

"I’m extremely saddened by this incident and the unacceptable behavior depicted by members of our football program. On behalf of Michigan State University, my heartfelt apology to the University of Michigan and the student athletes who were injured. There is no provocation that could justify the behavior we are seeing on the videos. Rivalries can be intense but should never be violent."

Stanley said Tucker would be holding the players involved responsible and that the university if cooperating with any investigation by law enforcement and the Big Ten Conference."

This is the second scuffle of the month after a Michigan game in Ann Arbor. When Michigan beat Penn State, the two teams got into a fight in the tunnel. Harbaugh has said that Penn State head coach James Franklin was the aggressor.