CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- After reviewing a sideline-clearing brawl between players from Miami and Florida International, officials from both schools and their conferences on Sunday announced the suspension of 31 players -- 13 from the Hurricanes, and 18 from FIU. Each suspended player must sit out his team's next game for taking part in the ugly melee that marred the team's Saturday matchup. Miami plays at Duke on Saturday, FIU plays at Alabama Oct. 28. ...
Yes, Miami is playing winless Duke next week, not anyone in the ACC's upper echelon. Still, the Hurricanes will have to play that game without their best kick returner (Johnson), their second-best running back (Jones), two starters in the secondary (Meriweather and Randy Phillips), their right guard (Morse) and their punter (Monroe). Plus, starting right tackle Jason Fox and linebacker Jon Beason were injured Saturday night and their availability isn't known for the Duke game. ...