Clemson players suspended for Orange Bowl game against Oklahoma

According to a report from Price Atkinson of ESPN Greenville and later confirmed by others, Clemson’s Deon Cain, Ammon Lakip, and Jay Jay McCullough are going to be suspended from the team’s College Football Playoff/Orange Bowl matchup with Oklahoma on Thursday for a violation of team rules.

The players’ status to play in the national title game is uncertain.

Cain has been an important piece of the Tigers offense this season, ranking second on the team in receiving yards (582) and touchdowns (5).

He said Cain would have the chance to rejoin the team after he ‘grows up’.

Cain is a freshman wide receiver who is tied for third on the team in receptions. Lakip was 8-of-8 on the season on extra point attempts and 1-of-1 on his lone field goal try. Clemson would have to beat Oklahoma to advance to that game. The postseason was already scheduled to be the last appearance for Lakip, and Swinney stated that McCullough will likely graduate in the summer and have the opportunity to play at a different program.

McCullough saw playing time in 2015 but didn’t have a catch. He did not catch a single pass in 2015. “Jay Jay McCullough and Lakip and Deon don’t have anything to do with Shaq Lawson”, Swinney said. It’s a distraction for me because I have to answer questions about three guys that break our rules, and I have to deal with it, but that comes with my job.

Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. (ET) at the Orange Bowl on December 31.