Sports

College Football Referee Gets Cut Under Eye During All-Out Melee Between North Carolina Rivals

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North Carolina College Football Brawl
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East Carolina and North Carolina State are only separated by about 80 miles so it is always chippy when the their two college football teams get together. An all-out brawl broke out between the Wolfpack and the Pirates in the Military Bowl on Saturday night!

It was an ugly scene that resulted in eight ejections— five for NC State and three for ECU.

Officials got tied up in the melee and college football umpire Rod Tucker got a cut under his eye that was bleeding pretty heavily. He took a helmet to the face after an East Carolina player came from out of nowhere.

Fortunately, they got him cleaned up and he was able to fulfill his duties to the fullest extent. Rod is warrior out there!

Rod Turner Referee College Football Carolina
ESPN

The whole thing started when freshman wide receiver Yannick Smith stole a towel from North Carolina State nickleback Tamarcus Cooley. Cooley took exception to Smith’s shenanigans.

It all escalated from there.

Both teams were asked about this game earlier this week. Specifically about what it means. There were actually a few East Carolina players who said that this specific matchup with North Carolina State is not a rivalry game. Obviously, that is not true.

We also get to see these games in just a few weeks, more or less. The Pirates will open their year on the road at Carter-Finley Stadium, home of the Wolfpack. Raleigh is located approximately 60 minutes from Greenville so there is a lot of bad blood between the two schools whether they want to admit it or not… Though surely now they will admit it because we all saw it play out on the field in Maryland on Saturday.

North Carolina State and East Carolina are going to run this back as soon as possible after the brawl… The rivalry is SO on!