Add the rivalry between Florida and Florida State to the list of games this college football season that ended in a brawl.

After a commanding 31-11 victory by the Gators over the Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday night, tensions escalated when a Florida player placed a Gators flag at the midfield logo.

Here’s a summary of what transpired, highlighting a heated exchange between Gators coach Billy Napier and Seminoles coach Mike Norvell:

Details of the Florida-FSU Altercation

A heated confrontation followed after Florida players set the flag on FSU’s Seminole logo at midfield. This incident echoed previous events from Saturday, particularly when a Michigan player attempted to plant a Wolverines flag at midfield in Columbus, Ohio, after their narrow victory over No. 2 Ohio State, 13-10.

An NC State player also tried to plant a flag against North Carolina, leading to a brief melee. Similarly, an Arizona State player drove a pitchfork into the midfield against Arizona, resulting in yet another confrontation.

The situation in Tallahassee escalated into pushing and shoving until both coaches stepped in to calm things down. At one point, Norvell picked up the Florida flag and tossed it aside after exchanging words with Napier.

“I expressed my thoughts to him,” Norvell stated. “They earned their victory and should be allowed to celebrate, similar to how we have in past years. That’s just part of our culture. If they choose to act that way, that’s their choice. I just let him know my stance.”

Florida Players Plant Flag After Challenging Season for FSU

This season has been particularly frustrating for Florida State, finishing with a dismal record of 2-10, one of the lowest in their program’s history.

“I don’t need any extra motivation from this, but that kind of thing won’t happen again,” Norvell told reporters after the game when asked if the incident provided him with added drive. “I will do everything possible to ensure we don’t face such situations again.”

Billy Napier’s Comments on the Flag Planting

This victory marked Florida’s first win in this rivalry since 2021 and showcased a strong finish to their season, which initially started poorly. The Gators ended the regular season on a three-game winning streak that included wins against LSU and Ole Miss. Florida amassed 235 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns against FSU, as Napier triumphed over Florida State for the first time during his coaching tenure.

After the game, Napier commented, “Consequences will arise for everyone involved” in response to the flag incident and expressed regret over the postgame clash.

“This isn’t the image we want for our program; it’s concerning for me and distracts from an otherwise well-contested game,” Napier said. ” We shouldn’t have behaved this way, and moving forward, we will avoid such actions, and there will be repercussions for those involved.”