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Bowl game between Tulsa and Mississippi State ends in brawl

Posted at 1:51 PM, Jan 01, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-01 13:51:58-05

FT. WORTH, Texas — A brawl broke out after No. 22 Tulsa Hurricane fell to Mississippi State in Thursday's Armed Forces Bowl game in Fort Worth, Texas.

According to The Associated Press, the brawl occurred minutes after the game ended following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Mississippi State on a late onside kick.

Hurricane Safety Kendarin Ray's family told KJRH the brawl allegedly began due to Ray being slugged with a helmet by a Mississippi State player.

KJRH asked TU head coach Philip Montgomery about the incident. Montgomery did not want to get into the details of the fight. However, he confirmed Ray is being treated for a concussion at this time.

Montgomery did say the Hurricane's have battled all year long and continued to do so today.

"The one thing I'll say is our program, our guys, we're a team that is going to stand up for each other and we're going to battle. We're a team that has battled all year long. We battled again today."
TU Football coach Philip Montgomery

Tulsa lost the bowl game against Mississippi State, 28-26.

WATCH video of the brawl following the TU's bowl game below:

Tulsa, Mississippi State bowl game ends in brawl

According to The AP, Mississippi State's Malik Heath joked about kicking a Tulsa player in the facemask in a video posted on social media from the Bulldogs locker room.

During the brawl, the AP reported that Mississippi State's De'Monte Russell ripped the helmet off Tulsa's TieNeal Martin and may have punched Martin in the head.

According to The AP, American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco said in a statement that the AAC would work with Tulsa to "conduct a thorough review of the altercation."

In a statement to ESPN, Tulsa said they would appropriately respond after the review was completed.

This story was first published by Cayden McFarland at KJRH in Tulsa, Oklahoma.