Harbaugh Expects 4 MSU Football Players Will Face Charges After Brawl

ANN ARBOR, MI — Michigan Wolverines Head Coach Jim Harbaugh expects four Michigan State Football players to face criminal charges after a showed numerous Spartan players attacking a Michigan Wolverine player. University of Michigan Police have also opened an investigation into the brawl.

The video showed numerous Spartan players pummeling Michigan's Ja’den McBurrows as both teams made their way to the locker rooms following a 29-7 loss to the Wolverines in the Big House. Both teams use the tunnel to reach their locker rooms when leaving the field.

"I can't imagine that this will not result in criminal charges," Harbaugh said Monday.

Michigan State University Mel Tucker suspended Spartan's cornerback Khary Crump, linebacker Tank Brown, defensive end Zion Young, and safety Angelo Grose on Sunday, and said more punishment could be forthcoming.

"Michigan State University football core values include integrity, discipline, unselfishness, toughness and accountability," said Tucker, who made the decision after "reviewing the disturbing electronic evidence."

Wolverines Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said two of his players were "assaulted" (although only one was visible in the video) and noted that one player might have suffered a broken nose in the brawl. When asked why the two Wolverines weren't with the rest of the team, Harbaugh told reporters "they were walking up the tunnel."

The brawl in Michigan Stadium's tunnel comes just after another confrontation happened a few weeks ago when the Wolverines defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions. As the teams made their way through the tunnel during halftime, numerous players on both sides were seen yelling at each other.

"It's a problem and has been," Penn State Head Coach James Franklin said. "To me, we need to put a policy in place from a conference perspective in my mind that's going to stop [it]. We're not the first team to kind of get into a jawing match in the tunnel."

The Penn State confrontation also followed a heated exchange between Wolverine players and Ohio State Buckeye players during halftime of last year's highly anticipated game, which the Wolverines ended up winning 42-27 and clinching a spot in the Big Ten title game.