Gamecock suspensions a possibility

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Southeastern Conference is contemplating one-game suspensions next season for University of South Carolina football players who participated in the brawl during Saturday’s game at Clemson University.

Both schools announced Monday they would not accept bowl invitations as penalty for the incident, but South Carolina, the SEC and Atlantic Coast Conference said they would continue to evaluate tape of the game with the intention of disciplining individual players.

Clemson president James F. Barker said Monday there would be no further action against Tiger players.

SEC spokesman Charles Bloom said Tuesday that Commissioner Mike Slive was not working against a deadline.

“What’s on the table right now is a one-game suspension for the individuals involved in the fight,” Bloom said.

Slive said in his statement Monday the decision “not to go to a bowl game sends the important message to student-athletes, not only at South Carolina and in the Southeastern Conference, but throughout the nation that intercollegiate athletics will not tolerate the kind of behavior we saw in the South Carolina-Clemson game last Saturday.”

However, Bloom said, the SEC is not bound by a precedent as a result of South Carolina’s decision.

“We did not take South Carolina out of a bowl game,” he said. “They pulled themselves out.”

ACC spokesman Brian Morrison declined to comment while commissioner John Swofford continues to evaluate tape of the fight.