SWAC suspends 16 players from Jackson State-Alabama State melee, fines both schools

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southwestern Athletic Conference has issued one-game suspensions to a total of 16 Jackson State and Alabama State players over a postgame altercation and fined both schools.

The league announced on Monday that seven Jackson State players and nine Alabama State players have been suspended for the next game for the incident after Saturday's game in Montgomery. Both schools were fined $25,000.

Alabama State hosts Prairie View A&M on Saturday, while the Tigers visit Alcorn State.

Dr. Jason Cable, Alabama State's vice president and athletic director, announced that three of the players would be suspended for the season-ending game against Tuskegee on Thanksgiving Day as well. The suspended players were not named.

Players engaged in shoving after the game and some punches were thrown.

''Acts of unsportsmanlike conduct have zero place in the sports of intercollegiate athletics and within the Southwestern Athletic Conference and we are extremely disappointed to have had consecutive weeks of football competition negatively impacted by these unfortunate occurrences,'' SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland said.

''We will continue to work with our membership to implement the necessary policies and procedures to deter this type of behavior. We will also 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 from all individuals associated with the athletics programs within our league.''

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