Emotions boiled over following the Michigan Wolverines' stunning upset win over the No. 2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, as a brawl broke out on the field after the Wolverines attempted to plant a flag on the Buckeyes logo at midfield of Ohio Stadium.
Speaking to reporters following the contest, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day attempted to rationalize the actions of his players.
"Yeah I don't know all the details of it," Day said. "But I know that those guys were looking to put a flag on our field and our guys weren't going to let that happen. I'll find out exactly what happened but this is our field and certainly we're embarrassed by the fact that we lost the game.
"There's prideful guys on this team that weren't just going to let that happen."
Not only did Ohio State enter the game with a chance to cement its spot in the Big Ten championship game, but the Buckeyes also were looking to end a three-game losing streak against their hated rivals. Multiple players, including senior defensive end Jack Sawyer, spoke about just how much a win against Michigan would mean to them. Day, who on Saturday fell to 1-4 vs. Michigan as the Buckeyes' coach, even admitted earlier this week that losing to the Wolverines was "one of the worst things that's happened in my life."
So, the Buckeyes were already emotionally charged entering the game. But flag plant or not, their actions in the postgame brawl were clearly unacceptable. And Day, caught between a rock (the University) and a hard place (the fanbase), chose to stand behind his players.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ryan Day Rationalizes Actions of 'Prideful' Ohio State Players in Michigan Brawl.
