20 College Football Players and 2 Head Coaches Suspended After Postgame Brawl in Georgia [WATCH]

Twenty college football players and two head coaches have been suspended following a violent postgame brawl between Fort Valley State University (FVSU) and Central State University (CSU) after a homecoming game in Fort Valley, Georgia.

As The New York Post reported, the altercation occurred Saturday at Wildcat Stadium, moments after Fort Valley State lost to Central State 18-14. The tense matchup, played before a large homecoming crowd, erupted into chaos when players from both teams began shoving and tackling each other on the sideline.

The SIAC hit both Fort Valley State and Central State hard with penalties following a postgame brawl on Saturday.

Full story: https://t.co/EAbrqECfF6 pic.twitter.com/kfbcueghA5

— HBCU Sports (@HBCUSports) October 6, 2025

Footage of the incident, which quickly spread on social media, shows multiple players punching and wrestling on the ground as spectators screamed from the stands.

A Fort Valley State announcer pleaded over the stadium loudspeaker for players and coaches to separate and for fans to remain in their seats as security attempted to restore order.

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After the situation appeared to settle, another confrontation between individual players reignited the brawl, causing both teams to rush back onto the field and toward the track area.

Officials from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), which governs both universities, responded Monday by issuing one-game suspensions to 20 players — nine from FVSU and 11 from CSU — and to both head coaches, Fort Valley State’s Marlon Watson and Central State’s Tony Carter.

“Acts of unsportsmanlike conduct have no place in intercollegiate athletics or within the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference,” said SIAC Commissioner Anthony Holloman in a statement.

“I am extremely disappointed that this event has overshadowed what was otherwise a very competitive football game.”

In addition to the suspensions, the SIAC fined both programs an undisclosed amount and reaffirmed its “zero-tolerance policy” for on-field violence. The conference also said it is developing new policies aimed at preventing similar incidents.

Fort Valley State University later issued a public apology to its students, alumni, and Central State, saying the altercation “does not reflect the values of sportsmanship, integrity, and respect that we uphold as an institution.”

The university said it was taking “necessary steps to ensure student-athletes understand the importance of representing the University with Wildcat pride and professionalism.”

The SIAC, headquartered in Atlanta, is an NCAA Division II conference made up primarily of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The postgame brawl was not the only controversy to hit Fort Valley State during its homecoming weekend. Days earlier, several members of the FVSU marching band were arrested on hazing charges following a criminal investigation by university police.

The charges led to the suspension of the marching band and its removal from the homecoming schedule.

Twenty players were suspended from this brawl — nine from Fort Valley State and 11 from Central State. Head coaches from each team also received a one-game suspension https://t.co/6yaxjzSq9J

— Kalan Hooks (@KalanHookstv) October 6, 2025

According to an incident report obtained by 13 WMAZ, the investigation identified a 20-year-old female victim and two suspects, 21-year-old Arika Tolbert and 19-year-old Jaya Williams.

Five other individuals were also named in the report. The Fort Valley Police Department is now leading the case.

In a separate statement, FVSU said it “acknowledges the seriousness of this situation and the impact it has on our community,” adding that its “top priority is the safety and well-being of all our students and the entire Wildcat community.”

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