5 Players Suspended a Half-Game, Dan Mullen Fined After Missouri, Florida Fight

Florida Gators head coach Dan Mullen has been fined $25,000 and five players in total have been suspended for a half-game after a fight between Florida and Missouri Tigers players on Saturday, the SEC announced Monday.

Florida defensive lineman Zach Carter and linebacker Antwaun Powell and Missouri linebacker Chad Bailey, offensive lineman Dylan Spencer and defensive lineman Markell Utsey are the players suspended. 

"I respect the decision from the conference office," Mullen said in a statement, per Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times. "As the head coach, it is my responsibility to defuse these types of situations, and I didn't live up to that standard."

The fight between the teams occurred after Missouri's Trajan Jeffcoat hit Kyle Trask with a high and late hit on the last play of the first half. Mullen ran onto the field and began yelling at either the referees, Tigers players or both. Both sidelines then converged, and the shoving and punches commenced:

Mullen had to be held back by his staff during the situation and gesticulated toward the Florida crowd, presumably to pump them up, as he went into the locker room amidst their cheers. Carter and Powell were both ejected from the game for their roles in the fight.

Mullen continues to find himself in the news this season for reasons other than the football being played on the field:

The SEC released the following statement on the situation:

"There is no place in college football for the kind of incident that took place at halftime of the Missouri at Florida game Saturday night. Everyone involved is responsible for meeting sportsmanship standards throughout each game. Running on the field to confront a game official, the gathering of teams in an on-field confrontation and student-athletes throwing punches are all disappointing at any time, but even more so as we work to support healthy competition during a pandemic."

Florida and Missouri also released a joint statement after the game, condemning the fight:

It was a bad look for both teams and for Mullen, who arguably incited the fight by storming the field and then needed to be held back by his coaching staff, as well as trying to whip the crowd into a frenzy following the brawl.