N.C. Central University students have mixed feelings about the melee after Saturday’s football game with N.C. A&T.

Political science and business administration junior Kent Williams said he is disheartened with the way NCCU football players behaved.

“I’m very disappointed that we have a few athletes who embarrassed the University and the students that support them,” said Williams.

Some students say media coverage has been excessive.

“I do think the fight is being blown out of proportion,” said social work junior Jessica Griggs.

NCCU Chancellor Charlie Nelms and A&T Chancellor Stanley Battle issued a joint statement Monday evening stating that no decision has been made about how to respond to the incident.

The game ended dramatically with the Eagles defeating the Aggies on a game-saving interception from the one-yard line.

Eagle players ran from the sidelines and began to celebrate on the Aggie bulldog logo. Within seconds, both teams erupted into a scuffle at midfield.

The scuffle lasted about two minutes, leaving police officers from both schools using pepper spray to separate the players.

In Monday’s edition of the News & Observer, A&T athletic director DeLores Todd, who watched the game from the stands, blamed NCCU’s coaching staff for its actions.

“One of the coaches picked up a patch of dirt off the dog and threw it,” said Todd.

“Coaches are your leaders, and if a coach does that, then you can’t really expect the kids to do anything different.”

NCCU head football coach Mose Rison issued a statement Saturday evening.

“After our game Saturday, emotions were high; however, we still expected to walk across the field and conduct the traditional handshake," said Rison.

“On behalf of my staff, I will state that I believe we acted immediately and properly, and that our student-athletes responded accordingly to our instructions.”

For the moment, NCCU athletics department has suspended one player from Saturday’s home game against Presbyterian College.

The review of the videotape may have implications in the future of both athletic programs.

The MEAC will not comment on whether last Saturday’s actions will affect NCCU’s request to join the conference.

It is unclear whether the universities will meet as scheduled next year in Durham.

“We owe them a game, and at some point, we will honor our agreement that we will return the game,” said Todd.

On Monday, Erskine Bowles, president of the UNC system, released a statement from his office that fights will not be tolerated.

“We are all in complete agreement that this sort of unsportsmanlike behavior was just plain wrong, and that it will not be condoned or tolerated within our university,” said Bowles.