Ohio lawmaker wants to make flag-planting a felony

Field Level Media|published: Wed 11th December, 11:57 2024

Michigan football players plant their team’s flag at midfield following Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. The Michigan Wolverines won the game 13-10.

An Ohio lawmaker has introduced legislation that would make it a felony offense for an opponent to plant its flag in the center of Ohio Stadium.

The O.H.I.O. Sportsmanship Act introduced Tuesday by Republican state Rep. Josh Williams comes in response to a midfield brawl that broke out in Columbus on Nov. 30 after Michigan upset Ohio State 13-10.

Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag on the Buckeyes' logo after the game, sparking fights among members of both teams as stadium security, police and coaches attempted to intervene and restore order.

Officers used pepper spray to help quell the incident, which drew $100,000 fines for both schools from the Big Ten.

Williams' bill would "prohibit planting a flagpole and flag in the center of the Ohio Stadium football field on the day of a college football game."

Because the state legislature's General Assembly wraps up next week, there isn't expected to be enough time for the bill to get passed into law.

The Michigan-Ohio State ending was not the only flag-planting incident during college football's rivalry weekend. Similar situations happened after the North Carolina State-North Carolina and Florida-Florida State contests.

--Field Level Media