Saturday’s game between Louisville and North Carolina ended in a brawl, sparked apparently by the Tar Heels being a little too aggressive in defending a victory-formation play. After UNC’s 16-14 loss to the Cardinals, Carolina coach Bill Belichick addressed the brouhaha.
“You play the game between the whistles, that’s not what we’re here for,” Belichick said, via the Associated Press. “We got out there and got everybody out as quickly as possible.”
Footage from WRAL shows Belichick involved in the effort to clean up the mess, pulling several of his players away from the fray.
It started when North Carolina defensive tackle Xavier Lewis and Louisville offensive lineman Johnnie Brown III got engaged in some pushing and shoving. The situation spread into various confrontations as the benches emptied.
The next question is whether discipline will be issued, by the individual teams or the ACC. No penalties were enforced, because the game ended in the early stages of the altercation.
At 5-5, the Tar Heels need a full roster next weekend, if they hope to become bowl-eligible with a win over Virginia. The season ends with a game against NC State.