Mullen fined, reprimanded for his role in Florida-Missouri brawl

Florida coach Dan Mullen has been issued a reprimand and fined $25,000 by the SEC for his role in the melee between UF and Missouri players and coaches at the end of the first half of Saturday night’s game in The Swamp.

 Defensive linemen Zachary Carter and Antwuan Powell, who we ejected from the game, have been suspended from the first half of the Gators’ game with Georgia in Jacksonville on Saturday.

 “I respect the decision from the conference office,” Mullen said Monday. “As the head coach, it is my responsibility to defuse these types of situations, and I didn’t live up to that standard.”

 Mullen ignited the situation when he sprinted onto the field to confront the officials after quarterback Kyle Trask took a late, high hit attempting to throw a Hail Mary pass on the final play of the half and no flag was thrown.

Right behind their head coach, UF players charged toward the Missouri sideline, where there was pushing and shoving among multiple players from both teams and punches were thrown. The teams were separated after a few minutes and went to their respective locker rooms. There were no further incidents in the second half.

 “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,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a release sent out by the conference. “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.”

 Mullen was reprimanded and fined for violating SEC Bylaws governing sportsmanship.

 Carter and Powell were ejected for fighting, while Missouri outside linebacker Tre Williams was tossed for a flagrant unsportsmanlike foul. Carter is a starter and Powell is a true freshman who likely will be redshirted this season.

 In addition, following a video review of the incident, the SEC issued a half-game suspension for three other Missouri players for fighting — linebacker Chad Bailey, offensive lineman Dylan Spencer and defensive lineman Markell Utsey.

 Williams, Bailey, Spencer and Utsey will sit out the first half of Missouri’s game with Georgia in two weeks. The Tigers have an open date this week.