Florida’s Brendan Bett apologies for spitting on South Florida player in upset loss
Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett apologized for spitting on South Florida offensive lineman Cole Skinner in their upset loss on Saturday.
Bett was ejected late in the Gators’ 18-16 loss to South Florida on Saturday night after he got into it with Skinner. Bett got right into Skinner’s face after a play had been called dead and very clearly spit on his face, which led to him being thrown out and the Gators being assessed a 15-yard penalty.
That gave USF the first down, kept their drive alive and eventually set up a 20-yard winning field goal from Nico Gramatica.
“I want to sincerely apologize for my actions in the game this past Saturday. I let down my teammates, coaches, family and all of Gator Nation,” Bett wrote on social media on Monday night, in part. “Our coaches always instill in us the value of sportsmanship and I crossed the line. I also want to apologize to South Florida. That’s not the person or player I strive to be. I made a terrible mistake and it won’t happen again.”
Bett addressed Skinner directly in his apology, too.
The spitting incident came just two days after a similar spitting incident during the Philadelphia Eagles’ season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys, when Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Dak Prescott.
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Bett is in his first season with the Gators after he spent his first two years at Baylor. The redshirt sophomore has eight total tackles and one tackle for loss so far this season at Florida.
The Gators, who tumbled completely out of the national rankings after Saturday’s home loss, will take on No. 3 LSU Saturday night in Baton Rouge.