Florida quarterback Kyle Trask heaved up a prayer that fell incomplete on the final play of the first half vs. Missouri, and the No. 10 Gators headed to the locker room up 20-7. Before they got there, though, an all-out brawl erupted on the field.
Trask was hit by Tigers defensive lineman Trajan Jeffcoat late after he released the ball, and his offensive linemen came to his defense in a big way. After a brief period of pushing and shoving, punches started flying and the benches emptied. It wasn't just Florida players and Jeffcoat who got into it, either. Multiple fights broke out in the scrum, and Gators coach Dan Mullen got into a shouting match with Tigers coach Eliah Drinkwitz before referees brought them together too cool them down.
Defensive lineman Zachary Carter and linebacker Antwuan Powell were ejected for Florida, and linebacker Tre Williams was ejected for Mizzou. All players were on both teams were assessed unsportsmanlike penalties, meaning if anybody gets one more before the end of the game, that player will be ejected.
Take a look at how the whole thing went down.
Three players were ejected from the Florida-Missouri game following a brawl that unfolded at the end of the first half. pic.twitter.com/GTavCznk6B
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 1, 2020
Referees tried to sort things out as best they could. On Sunday, the two schools issued a joint statement condemning the fight with hopes it will not happen again in the future.
"The actions at the end of the first half of last night's game do not reflect the values of our football program or university," the statement read. "We are committed to healthy competition and good sportsmanship. The clean play without incident in the second half is how we expect to represent both institutions and the SEC. We believe both programs will use this moment to learn from so that future incidents like this do not happen."
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