Fight breaks out on field after NC State win over UNC at Kenan Memorial Stadium

A skirmish broke out midfield at Kenan Stadium on Saturday night after N.C. State defeated North Carolina on Senior Night in coach Mack Brown’s last game at UNC.

Wolfpack defensive end Davin Vann took the “Tuffy” flag from one of the cheerleaders, hoping to plant the flag at midfield.

UNC wide receiver JJ Jones ran to the N.C. State scrum and took the flag, then ran to the sideline and threw the flag onto one of the visitor benches.

N.C. State safety DK Kaufman followed Jones to the sideline and shoved him with both hands. Offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak ran to assist his teammate. That led to pushing, shoving, and a couple punches thrown among the two teams at midfield.

Coaches from both teams, including N.C. State offensive line coach Garrett Tujague, worked to separate their players in an effort to prevent escalation. Tujague collected the thrown flag from the visitor sideline.

Meanwhile, Vann succeeded in planting a flag at midfield before returning it to the cheerleaders.

“Ever since I saw Ben (Finley) do it, I wanted to do it,” Vann said. “I wanted to do that real bad. It meant a lot.”

NC State football left proudly waving, planting the flag after beating No. 18 Tar Heels

Vann, a fifth-year defensive end from Cary, a Raleigh suburb, said UNC did not recruit him when he was in high school, so he doesn’t really like the program.

“I’m gonna keep it PG, but I don’t really like them at all, to be honest,” Vann said. “The think they’re a lot better than us, and I don’t really think that’s the case. The rivalry means a lot. It means a lot to win.”

N.C. State defeated UNC, 35-30, to earn bowl eligibility in an emotional, dramatic victory. Vann finished with six tackles, four solo, two tackles for loss, a sack and forced fumble. His strip sack in the first quarter led to N.C. State’s first touchdown.