Ever wonder what goes on during football games after a tackle, under the pile of fallen bodies?

Television cameras caught Florida’s Brandon Spikes gouging the eyes of Georgia’s Washaun Ealey after one such play in Saturday’s 41-17 Gator victory.

Spikes tackled Ealey, and inserted his hand into Ealey’s facemask, moving it up and down apparently trying to injure the freshman tailback.

The Gators suspended the senior linebacker, a team captain, for the first half of this week’s Vanderbilt game.

“He was just trying to intimidate me, but I wasn’t letting it happen,” Ealey said after the game Saturday. “I think they knew because I had No. 24 on, I was going to try to be like Knowshon Moreno, and they were trying to intimidate me.”

Spikes led Florida Saturday with 10 tackles and intercepted a pass for a touchdown.

“I don’t condone that,” Florida coach Urban Meyer told ESPN of Spikes’ actions. “I understand what goes on on the football field, but there’s no place for that . I spoke with him. That’s not who he is. That’s not who we are. He got caught up in emotion.”

The game was physical from the onset, with jawing, pushing and shoving throughout. At one point, play was halted so officials could speak to Gators’ quarterback Tim Tebow and Georgia linebacker Marcus Dowtin in an attempt to ease the tension.

Spikes may have been retaliating after getting poked in the eye earlier in the game, Meyer said.

“I accept responsibility for my actions and I accept the consequences of my actions,” Spikes said in a statement. “I would like to apologize to my team, and the coaching staff and Washaun Ealey. Football is a very physical and emotional game, but there is no excuse for my actions.”