The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) announced sweeping discipline on Monday following its investigation into the HBCU brawl that broke out during halftime of Saturday’s game between Grambling State University and Bethune-Cookman University.
A total of 27 players — 18 from Grambling State and 9 from Bethune-Cookman — have been suspended. Three of those players received two-game suspensions due to the severity of their involvement, while the remainder will serve one-game penalties. The conference also fined Grambling State $40,000 and Bethune-Cookman $25,000 for violating league conduct policies.
SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland condemned the incident and reaffirmed the league’s zero-tolerance stance.
“We’re extremely disappointed by the events that transpired during halftime of the Bethune-Cookman at Grambling State football game,” McClelland said. “Acts of that nature have zero place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and intercollegiate athletics. The Conference Office has and will continue to enforce a zero-tolerance policy for all acts deemed to be unsportsmanlike and contrary to the high standard of good sportsmanship we expect.”
Coaches React on SWAC Call
The suspensions come after both head coaches — Mickey Joseph of Grambling State and Raymond Woodie of Bethune-Cookman — addressed the incident during Monday’s SWAC weekly coaches teleconference.
Joseph, who initially defended his team after Saturday’s 31–23 victory, shifted his tone significantly on the call.
“I just want to apologize to the SWAC and to Bethune-Cookman University for what happened,” Joseph said. “That’s not who we are at Grambling State. We have to be better. I have to be better. My staff has to be better.”
He added that his postgame comments were made in the heat of the moment and that the focus now is on accountability and representing the university properly.
“It was emotional,” Joseph continued. “But at the end of the day, we represent something much bigger. Grambling has always stood for discipline, respect, and pride. We’ll take our punishment, and we’ll learn from it.”
Woodie, speaking moments later on the same call, took a firmer line, revealing that the melee had escalated beyond words and shoves.
“One of my assistant coaches was hit,” Woodie said. “That’s not football. That’s not who we are. I’m thankful it didn’t get worse, but we can’t allow things like that to happen in our conference.”
He said that while the rivalry energy was high, respect must always remain the foundation.
“We preach discipline and integrity,” Woodie said. “We can compete as hard as we want between the whistles, but when the game stops, that stuff has to stop too. That’s not just about Bethune-Cookman — that’s for all of us in the SWAC.”
The fight erupted as both teams were returning to the field after halftime, leading to chaos near the tunnel and a delay of several minutes. Nine players were immediately ejected — five from Grambling State and four from Bethune-Cookman — before order was restored.
The SWAC’s disciplinary action is among the most severe in recent memory and underscores the league’s determination to uphold its values of sportsmanship across all HBCU programs.
For Grambling State, the sanctions hit particularly hard. The Tigers — one of the most historic names in HBCU football — now face a $40,000 fine, significant roster disruption, and public scrutiny.
Joseph said his team must now focus on restoring the standard set by legendary coach Eddie Robinson.
“We’ll handle it internally, we’ll move forward, and we’ll represent this program the right way,” Joseph said. “We have to bring back that level of respect that’s always defined Grambling football.”
As both programs look to move past the incident, Commissioner McClelland reiterated that the SWAC’s commitment to sportsmanship is not negotiable.
The message from Birmingham, and from both head coaches, was clear: rivalries and emotion will always be part of college football, but both HBCU programs paid the price .