CHAPEL HILL — A chaotic postgame scuffle broke out between North Carolina and Louisville players following a “16-14 loss at Kenan Stadium”, per Yahoo Sports.
Flags were thrown, punches were thrown and helmets were off during several scrums after the final whistle, according to Yahoo Sports.
The altercation started after Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz took a knee in the victory formation, “as reported by the Tar Heels coverage”.
UNC defensive lineman Xavier Lewis and offensive lineman Johnnie Brown III were pushing each other after the game ended, and other players joined the mix with several punches appearing to be thrown near the 25-yard line, Yahoo Sports reported.
There was another scrum in the end zone, according to the published reports.
UNC coach Bill Belichick addressed the postgame situation by stating, “Last play of the game, I just got everybody out of there as quickly as possible.”
Belichick added, “Play the game between the whistles. That’s not what we’re here for.”
UNC captains Derek McDonald and Jordan Shipp said they didn’t see much on the field during the postgame altercation, but emphasized the Tar Heels need to focus on what happens during the game, according to Yahoo Sports.
McDonald stated, “We should’ve won between the whistles. … Unnecessary.”
McDonald also added that “it’s an emotional game. A lot of stuff happens between the whistles.”
Shipp, who dropped a pass that led to the game-sealing interception for the Cardinals, focused more on his final play than the postgame chaos, per Yahoo Sports.
Shipp stated, “That’s not the way we want to end the game, so I apologize on our part.”
Shipp further noted, “In the end, they beat us. It is what it is. We gotta take that to the chin and move on.”
The officials didn’t announce any penalties, but the ACC will review the incident to determine if any disciplinary action is warranted moving forward, according to Yahoo Sports and The Fayetteville Observer.