'Let the boys play': Baker Mayfield defends 'flag-planting' following Michigan-Ohio State, other CFB brawls

The unofficial author of 'flag-planting' defended the gesture amidst discussion of ending the postgame practice following several brawls this past weekend...

Matt Lounsberry | Dec 1, 2024

Michigan football players plant their team’s flag at midfield following Saturday’s game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. The Wolverines won the game, 13-10. / Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The unofficial author of the 'flag-planting' gesture defended the postgame practice after it incited several brawls across college football during 'Rivalry Week' this past Saturday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, the former Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma, conducted one of the most remembered flag-plants in college football history back in 2017, after the Sooners defeated Ohio State, 31-16, in Ohio Stadium in a matchup between two bluebloods.

Baker Mayfield planting the Oklahoma flag in the middle of the Ohio State O at the Horseshoe is as savage as it gets. pic.twitter.com/PrtgtUvmzL
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) September 10, 2017

On Saturday, following Michigan's 13-10 win over Ohio State, the Wolverines performed the same gesture at 'The Horseshoe', which sparked an on-field altercation after a multitude of Buckeyes took exception to the act. Michigan also planted it's flag at midfield of Ohio Stadium following it's 45-23 win over OSU back in 2022.

The Michigan-Ohio State game was just one of several college football rivalry games that ended with altercations centered around the 'flag-planting' gesture. North Carolina and North Carolina State got into a scuffle following a 35-30 win for the Wolfpack over the Tar Heels. It also happened following Florida's 31-11 win over Florida State on Saturday.

On Sunday, Mayfield was asked about the practice of planting flags on an opponent's field following a win and defended the gesture.

"I'll say this, OU-Texas does it every time they play," Mayfield said. "It's not anything special you take your 'L' (loss) and move on. Yeah, I'll leave it at that."

Baker Mayfield was asked about the four flag planting incidents during college rivalry weekend. It was something he did at Ohio State in 2017. “College football is meant to have rivalries. That’s like the Big 12 banning the ‘horns down’ signal. Just let the boys play.” pic.twitter.com/XCLmjvUrDQ
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) December 2, 2024

Asked whether it would be a mistake for the NCAA to ban 'flag-planting' at the end of a game, Mayfield noted the importance of rivalries in college football and what comes with those red-letter games.

“College football is meant to have rivalries," Mayfield said. "That’s like the Big 12 banning the ‘horns down’ signal. Just let the boys play.”

Prior to this weekend, most flag-plantings have been performed without incident both this season and in seasons prior. Texas planted its flag at midfield of 'The Big House — Michigan Stadium — following the Longhorns' 31-12 win over Michigan, with no retaliation whatsoever from the Wolverines.

Not ideal.#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/FW9uhYBa35
— The Winged Helmet (@TWH_Chris) September 7, 2024

After a series of postgame brawls centered around the act of 'flag-planting' this past weekend, the discussion surrounding the practice has taken on a different tone. However, at least one former participant, Mayfield, doesn't want to see this particular display of 'bragging rights' disappear from the college game.

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