Five football players from Mississippi Valley State and nine from Bethune-Cookman have been suspended for their roles in an altercation at the end of the game between the two teams Oct. 22.
Mississippi Valley State lost its homecoming game to Bethune-Cookman 45-35 at Rice-Totten Stadium. The altercation at the end involved a large group of players from both teams.
The student-athletes’ suspensions, announced Wednesday by Southwestern Athletic Conference Associate Commissioner Andrew Roberts, vary in length and will go into effect for each team’s upcoming games. Bethune-Cookman plays at Prairie View Saturday, and the Delta Devils return to action Nov. 3 at home against Alabama A&M. That game will be televised on ESPNU starting at 6:30 p.m.
The conference office has also fined Bethune-Cookman and Mississippi Valley State $7,500 apiece.
MVSU athletic director Hakim McClellan confirmed the SWAC’s punishment Thursday.
“There are measures in place set by the SWAC to prevent situations like that,” he said. “It was one of those situations that just got out of hand.”
McClellan also reported that MVSU did not add any extra penalties to those imposed by the SWAC.
-Contact Jared Conerly at 662-581-7237 or jconerly@gwcommonwealth.com.
