Eastern Michigan athletics director Scott Weatherbee issued a lengthy statement on Sunday afternoon, apologizing for the actions of some of his school’s players during a post-game brawl with South Alabama after Saturday’s 68 Ventures Bowl.

After the Jaguars beat the Eagles 59-10 at Hancock Whitney Stadium, the South Alabama players lined up with cheerleaders facing the USA marching band in the stands to sing the school’s alma mater, as they do following every game. An Eastern Michigan player, later identified as defensive back Korey Hernandez, raced up behind South Alabama defensive back Jamarrien Burt and punched him in the back of his helmeted head.

RELATED: South Alabama pummels Eastern Michigan 59-10 for first bowl victory

South Alabama’s Brian Dillard, who was standing next to Burt and who also happens to be his older brother, jumped on Hernandez and began punching him. Several other Jaguars and Eagles players joined the fracas, some throwing punches and others trying to break it up.

Here’s video of the incident, via the social media platform X:

After order was restored, both teams were sent to their locker rooms by on-site security. After the Eastern Michigan players cleared the field, South Alabama’s team returned to the field for the trophy and awards presentation.

Photo and video evidence recorded by fans later showed Hernandez’s bloodied face (he was not wearing a helmet when he started the fight) being led away by teammates. Hernandez is listed as a graduate student from Decatur, Ga., and a two-time Mid-American Athletic Conference All-Academic team selection.

Dillard and Hernandez had tangled during the second quarter of the game, after Hernandez facemasked Dillard on the South Alabama sideline following a punt return play and Dillard threw him to the ground. Burt was called for an illegal blindside block on the same play, albeit against a different Eastern Michigan player (Hernandez was flagged for a facemask; Dillard was not penalized).

Weatherbee said Sunday the actions of the EMU players was “completely unacceptable,” though he did not name Hernandez specifically. He said members of his department were “deeply upset and embarrassed” and he vowed to investigate the incident and “take appropriate action.”

Here’s Weatherbee’s full statement:

“We strongly condemn the actions of some of the student-athletes on the EMU football team in the ugly incident that took place following last night’s 68 Ventures Bowl. We are deeply upset and embarrassed by what happened. Their conduct does not reflect the great pride and high standards we place on the game and our program, and the expectations for good sportsmanship and exemplary conduct of student-athletes on and off the field. What happened was completely unacceptable.

“We apologize to the Eastern Michigan University community and to the South Alabama team and their fans. I have been in contact with South Alabama Director of Athletics Joel Erdmann to express our sincere apologies and Coach Creighton has done the same with Coach Womack. We are committed to sharing information and video to fully understand all that occurred. As Coach Creighton stated in the postgame press conference, there is absolutely no place for this kind of incident in the Eastern Michigan University football program.

“University President James Smith and I have been in contact with Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher and we are committed to working jointly to investigate the incident in accordance with institutional and Conference policies. We are continuing to review the situation and the conduct of the student-athletes involved and will take appropriate action as more information is gathered.”

South Alabama AD Joel Erdmann also issued his own statement, thanking Weatherbee for his apology. Here is Erdmann’s full statement:

“I would like to extend my most sincere appreciation and gratitude to Jerry Silverstein and the City of Mobile for inviting us to participate in the 2023 68 Ventures Bowl. Our student-athletes and coaches enjoyed a first-class experience, and we are proud of them for winning the first bowl championship in school history in front of our loyal fans and community. It is an achievement that will not soon be forgotten.

“While we are disappointed in the incident that occurred following our team’s victory, we are grateful to the leadership at Eastern Michigan University for taking ownership of the incident and reaching out to our leadership here at South Alabama to apologize and ensure us they will fully investigate the matter. We do not believe this incident is in any way reflective of the values of Eastern Michigan University or its football program.

“We hope this situation will not take away from the fact that the Jaguars are 68 Ventures Bowl Champions.”

Dillard and Burt — who are originally from Ocala, Fla. — are both in their first seasons at South Alabama after transferring in, Dillard from junior college and Burt from Oklahoma. Dillard, a sophomore, and Burt, a redshirt freshman, both have three tackles in 11 games this season, playing primarily on special teams.