Police Investigating What Michigan Coach Calls 'Assault' On His Player by Michigan State Players

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Police are investigating a violent stadium tunnel incident that took place after Saturday night's Michigan and Michigan State college football match-up.

The scuffle involved multiple Michigan State players as they surrounded and then allegedly kicked, and punched Michigan defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows. After the game, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh called the incident an "assault." Harbaugh also claimed a second player was injured, per ESPN.

"Just like anybody, you want to protect your players," Harbaugh said post-game, reported ESPN. "Ten on one, whatever it was, it was just bad. It needs to be investigated and brought to a conclusion. Our athletic director will make sure that that takes place."

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Video of the scuffle, captured and posted to social media by a Detroit News reporter, appears to show Michigan State players throwing punches at McBurrows, who stumbled away surrounded by team faculty after getting off the ground.

"What happened after the game is completely unacceptable. I've talked to the commissioner, he's looking into it," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. "The police are also looking into it because they've seen the video, and they're addressing it. We will leave it in their hands, but this is not how we should interact after a game. This is not the way another team should grab a player and do what they did, it's completely and utterly unacceptable. We will let the Big Ten and law enforcement handle it, but this is not what a rivalry should be about."

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In a joint statement after the game, authorities shared that "the University of Michigan Police, in partnership with Michigan State University Police, Michigan Athletics and Michigan football, is actively reviewing footage and investigating the postgame incident."

"Situations like these, and the safety of the community, are taken very seriously," the statement, shared to Twitter, reads.

While the Wolverines won the home game 29-7, attention from the victory has now been placed on the investigation. Michigan State President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. issued an apology to the rival school, writing that he was "extremely saddened by this incident and the unacceptable behavior depicted by members of our football program."

"On behalf of Michigan State University, my heartfelt apology to the University of Michigan and the student-athletes who were injured," he wrote. "There is no provocation that could justify the behavior we are seeing on the videos. Rivalries can be intense, but should never be violent."

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University of Michigan president Santa Ono confirmed that Stanley personally apologized in a separate statement, adding that they are in "agreement that this behavior is unacceptable." Additionally, Stanley wrote that Head Coach Mel Tucker will be "holding players involved responsible," as the team cooperates "with all related investigations by law enforcement and the Big Ten Conference."

The Big Ten said in a statement, per ESPN, that it's "currently gathering information, will thoroughly review the facts, and will take appropriate action."