Clemson suspends 3 on eve of playoff

Clemson suspended three players, including second-leading receiver Deon Cain, for violating team rules and sent them home from the Orange Bowl, head coach Dabo Swinney said at a news conference on the eve of the No. 1 Tigers’ playoff game against Oklahoma.

Cain, a freshman, caught 34 passes for 582 yards and five touchdowns while splitting time at Clemson’s No. 2 receiver position with Charone Peake, becoming a favored deep target for quarterback Deshaun Watson.

All three players will remain suspended for the national title game if Clemson beats Oklahoma on Thursday.

In the other playoff, the Cotton Bowl, Alabama reserve defensive back Tony Brown was suspended for the game against Michigan State for violating team rules.

The Tigers’ former starting quarterback came off the bench to run and pass for touchdowns, and the similarly maligned defense contained Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch throughout in Auburn’s 31-10 victory in Birmingham, Ala.

Johnson capped a disappointing season by sparking a sputtering offense that scored three touchdowns in a five-minute span starting late in the third quarter.

The former Baylor head coach was the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator in 2007 and held the same post at Clemson from 2009 through ’11.

Dak Prescott closed his college career in impressive fashion, throwing for a Belk Bowl-record 380 yards and four touchdowns in Mississippi State’s 51-28 victory over N.C. State at Charlotte, N.C.