The Florida-Miami rivalry runs deep, but some fans take that way too far and it often leads to violence.
That was the case following Saturday night’s season opener at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. According to CollegeMarching.com, a group of Miami Hurricanes fans decided to take their frustration out on Florida band members by pushing their way through them outside the stadium.
Florida band director Dr. Jay Watkins tried to intervene and was savagely attacked.
“The Miami fans then attacked Dr. Watkins placing him in a choke hold and slamming his head to the concrete. A member of the band reportedly was punched in the face and had a bloody nose.
Dr. Watkins saved multiple members from worse injuries by stepping in to stop these fans and in turn put himself in harms way.”
Patrick Dunnigan, a Florida State music professor and Director of Bands, had this to say on a since-deleted Facebook post:
“Jay tells me he is very sore today and has a nasty bump on his head, but THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED,” Dunnigan wrote.
