Monday night’s Sugar Bowl represents Joe Mixon‘s first game since video of the Oklahoma running back punching a female OU student in 2014 finally surfaced last month.
Mixon has previously used the incident for motivation, dedicating the 2015 season “to (his) haters” in a since-deleted tweet, and appeared to have done so again Monday night. While it’s impossible to know what Mixon and Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield heard on the field, it’s a fact that both players motioned for the crowd to make more noise as ESPN cameras captured Auburn fans chanting “He hits women!”
Video of Auburn students chanting "He hits women!" at Joe Mixon, while Mixon & Mayfield wave their arms in the "louder" motion. #Sooners pic.twitter.com/Wi2St05390
— Brady Vardeman (@BradyVardeman) January 3, 2017
That wasn’t the only unfortunate response to the event, as Brent Musburger addressed the incident as if Mixon was overcoming a failed class or a turned ankle.
I rewound this to make sure I wasn't being too tough on Brent. Nope. It's even worse the second time. This is embarrassing. pic.twitter.com/QAoikxck9G
— Mike Finger (@mikefinger) January 3, 2017
Musburger later addressed those comments after, apparently, being told he was now trending on Twitter.
Brent Musburger defending his stance on Joe Mixon during Sugar Bowl. pic.twitter.com/8gCVQny3SQ
— Nick Cole (@NickColeSports) January 3, 2017
As those issues swirled around the field, Mixon is in the midst of a standout night on the Superdome turf. At press time, Mixon had carried 11 times for 52 yards and a touchdown with a game-high four receptions for 80 yards as Oklahoma enjoyed a 21-13 early third quarter lead over Auburn.