Lawmaker wants flag planting at Ohio Stadium to be a felony

Beware Baker Mayfield and the Michigan Wolverines, flag planting at Ohio Stadium may soon become a felony.

Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Township, introduced a bill Tuesday that would make it a felony to plant a flag on the artificial turf in the center of the home of The Ohio State Buckeyes.

“I am proud to introduce the O.H.I.O Sportsmanship Act to make flag planting at midfield a felony in the state of Ohio. Behavior that incites violent brawls and puts our law enforcement officers in danger has no place on the football field,” Williams said Wednesday on social media.

The bill comes less than two weeks after a fight erupted at midfield after the then second-ranked Buckeyes lost 13-10 to unranked Michigan, the fourth consecutive loss for Ohio State to the Wolverines.

Both Michigan and Ohio State were fined $100,000 each by the Big Ten following the incident.

House Bill 700 reads, “No person shall plant a flagpole with a flag attached to it in the center of the football field at Ohio Stadium of the Ohio State University on the day of a college football competition, whether before, during or after the competition. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.”

According to police, three officers used pepper spray during the Nov. 30 incident. There were no arrests.