SEC, South Carolina suspend Gamecocks' edge rush Dylan Stewart 1 game for punch

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference and South Carolina have jointly suspended Gamecocks edge rusher Dylan Stewart for throwing a punch at an Alabama player over the weekend.

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer suspended Stewart indefinitely on Sunday for punching Alabama tight end Josh Ford in the helmet in the fourth quarter of the Gamecocks’ 49-18 loss at No. 7 Alabama on Saturday. Beamer already ruled Stewart out for Saturday's game against No. 24 Kentucky prior to the one-game suspension issued on Monday.

“Dylan Stewart’s egregious contact reflects behavior that is unacceptable and not aligned with the standards of the Southeastern Conference,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. “Such action against an opponent carries a serious risk of injury and has no place in our conference competition. This suspension is appropriate, and any future misconduct by Dylan Stewart will result in more severe disciplinary action.”

The one-game suspension is separate from Beamer's indefinite suspension.

Stewart was an Associated Press preseason All-America first-team pick and is widely projected to be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL draft. He missed the first two games of the season because of a back injury.

“Our expectation at South Carolina, is that our student-athletes conduct themselves with the highest level of integrity at all times,” South Carolina athletic director Jeremiah Donati said. “Keeping one’s composure, even in the most competitive environments, is our standard. That standard was not met in this instance and we support the league’s decision along with our head coach’s decision regarding the current disciplinary measures enacted in this case.”

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