Urban Meyer Proposes Drastic New Punishment for Teams in Flag-Planting Skirmishes

Andy Nesbitt | Dec 5, 2024

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) throws a Michigan flag taken from opposing players at midfield following last Saturday's game. / Barbara J. Perenic-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

College football's annual Rivalry Week last weekend was marred by a number of ugly postgame incidents with teams getting in skirmishes over flags being planted at midfield by winning road teams. The biggest of those moments happened after Michigan stunned Ohio State at Ohio Stadium, which led to a big fight on the field that had cops pepper spraying players.

It was all a very bad look for college football and led to both Michigan and Ohio State being fined $100,000 each by the Big Ten.

Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer weighed in on the situation during an episode of his podcast The Triple Option this week and offered a different punishment than hefty fines.

"Whoever grabbed the flag, that person is done for a game and the head coach is potentially going to be suspended as well because he didn’t enforce it," Meyer said. "The money, $100,000, where does that money go? I always crack up about that, oh it’s a $100,000 fine? Ok, it’s $100,000 fine. OK, Big Ten conference, tell me exactly where that $100,000 goes and who cares? That’s not going to deter anybody."

Here are his full comments:

The flag-planting epidemic spread like wildfire across CFB rivalry weekend 😳 pic.twitter.com/nuvsrr0CvB

— The Triple Option (@3xOptionShow) December 4, 2024

Suspensions definitely would mean more to players and coaches, because they don't really have anything to do with the money. But you do have to wonder if Meyer would feel the same way if he was coaching a team that did that.

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