HARRISONBURG — There was costume drama, but most of it was real.

As James Madison played Coastal Carolina in a college football game Saturday night at Bridgeforth Stadium, the teams’ mascots got into a scuffle on the sidelines.

And it apparently wasn’t in jest: The fight ended with JMU’s Duke Dog being hustled off the field by police officers, and it cost the student his job.

Madison officials said that while the student who plays the Duke Dog was not arrested, he will no longer represent the university as its mascot.

“Today’s actions by the JMU mascot were inappropriate and unacceptable,” the school said in a statement distributed by spokesman Don Egle. “The university takes today’s incident very seriously. For this reason, effective immediately, the individual who served as the Duke Dog during today’s game will no longer appear as the JMU mascot.

“The university emphasizes sportsmanship throughout its entire athletics program and is disappointed with what took place today.”

Madison officials did not reveal the student’s name.

JMU fans said the Duke Dog hit the Chanticleer mascot — a rooster-like creature — in what they thought was a playful manner. Coastal’s mascot, they said, then tackled the Duke Dog, and the situation apparently escalated, prompting police to intervene.

A police officer tried to escort the Duke Dog away from Coastal’s mascot, but the Duke Dog appeared to keep pursuing the Chanticleer. News-Record reporter Mike Barber said he then saw the Duke Dog, apparently inadvertently, hit the police officer in the face in an attempt to break away.

The student who portrays the Duke Dog could not be reached for comment, and the man who plays the Chanticleer refused to answer questions as he hurriedly got on the team bus after the game.

Numerous police officers, including JMU Sgt. Sid Hartman, also declined comment.

Egle said “multiple” people portray the Duke Dog, who falls under the jurisdiction of Madison’s marketing department.

JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne refused to comment on the matter, referring questions to Egle.

Costal Carolina President David A. DeCenzo, who was in attendance, also didn’t want to talk about the incident.

“No reaction,” DeCenzo said.

The altercation unfolded as follows, according to spectator accounts and observations by News-Record staff:

The Chanticleer — a teal bird with a gold wavy crown and a gold beak featuring a toothy grin — walked over to the JMU cheerleaders to the right of the Coastal bench. He often does that to greet the opposing team’s mascot, a Coastal official said.

As the Chanticleer went to shake hands, the Duke Dog pulled away, numerous students said. The Chanticleer shrugged and turned to leave, but the Duke Dog kicked him from behind — albeit in what seemed like a playful manner, JMU sophomore Candace Avalos said.

Then, the Chanticleer tackled the Duke Dog to the ground, numerous students said.

Many fans in the Madison student section called it a cheap shot, saying that the Duke Dog’s actions seemed like part of his routine.

“It was good old fun,” said 15-year-old Derrick Self. “[The Chanticleer] took it to whole ’nother level.”

A group of Coastal students, however, said the Duke Dog was pointing and yelling as he pursued the Chanticleer across the sidelines.

“I can see the playfulness,” Coastal freshman Jordan Earhart said, “but after that, [the Duke Dog] went a little over the edge.”

Said Coastal freshman Andrew Moore: “He was belligerent. He was trying to get our mascot.”

As the Duke Dog resisted, police dragged him off the field and into a stadium tunnel.

“They ripped off his head,” JMU junior Brad Tephabock said. “They slammed him against the wall.”

Shortly after the fight, the Madison student section chanted “Where’s our Duke Dog?!” and “Bring back Duke Dog!”

Police escorted the Chanticleer off the field shortly thereafter.

A student identifying himself as the Duke Dog said in an e-mail Sunday to the News-Record that he intends to meet with Madison President Linwood H. Rose before making any public comments.

In a fitting side note, one Coastal fan Saturday wore a T-shirt with a message reading, “Our mascot can beat up your mascot.”