Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, known for his fiery personality and on-field antics, has weighed in on the recent spate of post-game flag-planting incidents across college football. Mayfield, who famously planted the Sooners' flag at midfield after defeating Ohio State in 2017, defended the practice, drawing parallels to the long-standing tradition in the OU-Texas rivalry.

Following the Buccaneers' overtime victory against the Panthers, Mayfield stated, "OU-Texas does it every game. It's nothing new. Just accept the loss and move on." He also questioned the increasing regulation of rivalries, referencing the Big 12's past attempt to ban the 'Horns down' gesture. "College football thrives on rivalries," Mayfield argued. "Let the players express themselves."

Mayfield's comments come in the wake of several post-game altercations involving flag-planting attempts, including incidents in the Michigan-Ohio State, Florida-Florida State, North Carolina-N.C. State, and Arizona-Arizona State games. The Michigan-Ohio State incident resulted in $100,000 fines for both universities from the Big Ten Conference, citing violations of sportsmanship and player safety.

The Big Ten's statement emphasized that the post-game behavior "violated fundamental elements of sportsmanship" and "jeopardized the safety of participants and bystanders." While the conference considers the matter closed, the debate surrounding flag-planting and its place in college football rivalries continues.