Police investigating postgame ‘assault’ involving Michigan State, Michigan players

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Police are investigating a postgame fight in the tunnel after the University of Michigan’s 29-7 victory Saturday night against rival Michigan State University.

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Video captured on social media by several reporters and published by the Detroit News showed Michigan State players allegedly throwing punches and kicks toward Wolverines defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows in the tunnel at Michigan Stadium.

Both teams use the same tunnel to go to their locker rooms.

When the player who appeared to be McBurrows got to his feet, Michigan State linebacker Itayvion Brown allegedly grabbed the Wolverines player and tossed him through an open doorway at the end of the tunnel, according to the News. A Michigan State Police officer grabbed Brown’s jersey to hold him back.

At least two other Michigan State players, safety Angelo Grose and defensive end Zion Young, were seen by a Detroit News reporter throwing punches at the player who appeared to be McBurrows.

“What happened after the game is completely unacceptable. I’ve talked to the commissioner, he’s looking into it,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. “The police are also looking into it, because they’ve seen the video and they’re addressing it. We will leave it in their hands, but this is not how we should interact after the game.”

Campus police are investigating the incident, department spokesperson Melissa Overton told MLive.

“This is not the way another team should grab a player and do what they did, it’s completely and utterly unacceptable. We will let the Big Ten and law enforcement handle it, but this is not what a rivalry should be about.”

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said two of his players “were assaulted.”

“We saw the one video and it’s 10-on-1,” Harbaugh told reporters during his postgame news conference. “It’s pretty bad. I’m going to let our athletic director, Warde Manuel, address it with the authorities.”

Michigan State coach Mel Tucker told reporters after the game that he did not know what happened, ESPN reported.

“I know it was a heated game, things were heated,” Tucker said in his postgame interview. “We’re trying to get our guys in the locker room. We’re going to have to figure out what happened.”

In a statement, Big Ten officials said they were aware of the incident and were “currently gathering information, will thoroughly review the facts, and will take appropriate action.”

It was the second straight game that there was a tunnel incident at Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines were involved in a minor halftime skirmish with Penn State players on Oct. 15, MLive reported.

No one was injured, but Nittany Lions coach told reporters that “one tunnel is a problem” and urged Big Ten officials to act.

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