Major Brawl Breaks Out After Mississippi State's Win Over Tulsa in Armed Forces Bowl Game

As of now, it is not certain why the brawl was started following the game.

While Mississippi State defeated No. 24 Tulsa, 28–26, on Thursday afternoon, the final seconds of the Armed Forces Bowl saw a violent brawl take place between the two teams.

The teams met on the field following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Mississippi State on a late onside kick from Tulsa. Players from both teams were congregated on two distinct sides when a punch was thrown from a Mississippi State player to one of the Tulsa football players.

That punch led to a spiral of players from both sides scrapping with each other, and Bulldog wide receiver Malik Heath kicked Tulsa senior safety Tieneal Martin.

As the brawl continued down the field, players continued to punch and hit each other. 

Tulsa sophomore safety Kendarin Ray was helped off the field after being injured during the postgame brawl. It is not certain what started the brawl. 

Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach said in a postgame interview on ESPN that he was not exactly sure what caused the brawl.

"There was something before the game, too," Leach said.

When asked what Leach would say to his players following the brawl, Leach said for his players to "don't do it anymore".

"It is dumb and it was some of that going back and forth in the game," Leach said. "This is a football game, we are not going to tear cloth and I am not going to lose my mind over it."

It’s the biggest postgame bowl fight since the infamous Miami Beach Bowl brawl that took place in 2014 when Memphis and BYU played against each other.

With the victory, Mississippi State (4-7) earned its fourth win of the 2020 season and its 14th bowl win in school history.

Leach hopes to build off the bowl win for the upcoming season.

"We had a lot of space to grown and improve," Leach said. "We are a long ways off but you just got to be consistent and adjust."