Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
It’s not rare for tempers to flare when two college football teams meet on the gridiron. However, Guilford College and Averett University saw their seasons come to a premature end after things got ugly in the wake of the showdown between the two DIII schools.
I have a hard time imagining most people reading this actively follow the football teams that comprise the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, which is home to 14 schools with athletic programs that compete at the Division III level.
Guildford College, which is located Greensboro, North Carolina, is the only member of the conference that’s located outside the state of Virginia. On Saturday, the Quakers were at the center of a contest only a true College Football Sicko could appreciate, as they were sitting at 2-8 heading into a game against an Averett University squad with an 0-8 record.
The Cougars got their first win of the season, but it will also end up being their last after the conference disciplined both schools due to the scene that unfolded after the final whistle blew.
Guilford College and Averret University had the remainder of their football seasons canceled following a postgame brawl
Averett was able to get its first entry in the win column with the 27-21 victory over Guilford, but it was overshadowed by the melee that broke out near one of the end zones after the game came to an end before multiple cars from the Greensboro Police Department were dispatched to the scene.
@bboakley11 Guilford College vs Averett
It’s not entirely clear what sparked the fracas, but on Sunday, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference brought down the hammer in a statement where it announced Guilford and Averett had been ordered to “discontinue their football seasons effective immediately,” with commissioner Brad Bankston saying:
“Sportsmanship and respect are essential elements of the ODAC experience. While competition is at the heart of what we do, the integrity with which we compete defines who we are.
The actions following Saturday’s contest did not reflect those values, and this decision underscores our commitment to maintaining the standards our conference represents. I want to thank both schools for their cooperation and open dialogue in reaching this decision.”
Guilford was slated to cap off its season against Bridgewater next weekend, while Averett was supposed to wrap things up against Roanoke; the conference says those two schools will have the opportunity to play each other instead.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this wasn’t the only sports-related drama Averett found itself at the center of this weekend, as the men’s basketball team managed to ruffle some feathers while facing off against High Point.