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Florida associate head football coach and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke was suspended for three games for his involvement in an altercation before the Gators’ game at LSU on Saturday, the SEC and Florida jointly announced Tuesday.

“Jabbar Juluke’s conduct during the pregame altercation reflects behavior that is unacceptable and not aligned with the standards of the Southeastern Conference,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a news release. “Coaches are expected to be leaders and to de-escalate tense situations, and that did not happen in this circumstance. This suspension is appropriate, and any future misconduct by Jabbar Juluke will result in more severe disciplinary action.”

Juluke will miss Florida’s next three games — at No. 4 Miami, at home against No. 8 Texas and at No. 10 Texas A&M. Juluke, a native of New Orleans, released the following statement through the SEC office:

“I, first, would like to apologize to both Florida and LSU universities, their teams, staff and fans. I also sincerely apologize to the young athlete and his family. On Saturday, I reacted in a manner I’m not proud of. There’s no excuse for my behavior and I take full responsibility for my actions. In this game, emotional situations occur and bad reactions happen. I regret my reaction and commit to using this moment to strengthen my emotional intelligence.

“I know more is expected of us as coaches, and I commit to living up to that expectation. I believe growth is in ownership and learning from the good and the bad. I intend to use this situation as a teachable moment, not only for myself, but for those I impact. Again, I offer my sincerest apologies to both institutions and the staffs and families involved.”

Video showed players getting into multiple scuffles during pregame warmups at Tiger Stadium, but Juluke’s direct involvement wasn’t clear from the SEC’s news release. No penalties were assessed before the game. LSU went on to win 20-10, dropping Florida to 1-2.

Juluke has coached the Gators’ running backs since 2022 and followed Florida coach Billy Napier from Louisiana, where they worked together from 2018 to 2021. Juluke also coached the running backs at LSU in 2016. His suspension is another significant setback for Napier, whose job security has become a question for the second straight season.

“Coach Juluke’s actions prior to our game against LSU are not up to the standard of our program,” Napier said in a statement. “Coach Juluke is a man of character and has taken full responsibility for his actions. I believe Coach Juluke will learn from this experience and be better for it.”

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin also released a statement Tuesday evening.

“Jabbar has consistently been an upstanding member of our staff, and I commend him for accepting responsibility in this situation,” Stricklin said. “We will continue to support him as he works to meet the high standards we set for our program.”

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Oklahoma DE Thomas unlikely to play vs. Bama

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Oklahoma DE Thomas unlikely to play vs. Bama

Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas is unlikely to play against Alabama on Saturday because of a quad injury.

A final decision on Thomas’ availability isn’t expected until game time, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, but he is listed as doubtful on the SEC availability report.

Thomas suffered the injury while returning a fumble 71 yards for a touchdown during the Sooners’ Nov. 1 win over Tennessee.

Oklahoma’s best defensive player, Thomas has a team-leading 6.5 sacks this season along with two forced fumbles and the scoop-and-score fumble recovery.

Starting cornerback Gentry Williams is also doubtful to play against the Crimson Tide. He is set to miss a third straight game with a shoulder injury suffered Oct. 18 against South Carolina.

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Sources: Wisconsin turns to freshman QB vs. IU

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Sources: Wisconsin turns to freshman QB vs. IU

Wisconsin will start true freshman quarterback Carter Smith at No. 2 Indiana on Saturday, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, replacing Danny O’Neil after the sophomore was carted off the field with a right leg injury last week.

O’Neil was injured on a 21-yard keeper during the first quarter of last Saturday’s 13-10 win over then-No. 23 Washington. He had a towel over his head as he was carted to the locker room.

Smith made his season debut following O’Neil’s injury, completing 3 of 12 passes for 8 yards while rushing for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Also available to the Badgers at quarterback is senior Hunter Simmons, who is 48-for-95 for 485 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions this season.

For Indiana, wide receiver Elijah Sarratt is doubtful to play, sources said. Sarratt, who is tied for the Big Ten lead with 10 touchdown receptions, injured his hamstring against Maryland on Nov. 1 and missed the Penn State game last week.

With Indiana having a bye next week, Sarratt is on track to return against Purdue on Nov. 28.

Quarterback issues have hindered Wisconsin all season and throughout coach Luke Fickell’s three-year tenure.

Billy Edwards Jr. was Wisconsin’s first-team quarterback at the start of the season, but he sprained his knee in the second quarter of the Badgers’ opener and has played only one full series since.

Tanner Mordecai missed 3½ games with a broken hand in 2023. Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke tore his ACL in the third game of the 2024 season.

Wisconsin’s intended season-opening starting quarterback has been available for the entirety of only 11 of the 34 games the Badgers have played since the beginning of the 2023 season. The last time Fickell had his season-opening starting quarterback healthy for a full game was in a 27-13 victory over South Dakota on Sept. 7, 2024.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Sources: UCLA QB Iamaleava out vs. Ohio State

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Sources: UCLA QB Iamaleava out vs. Ohio State

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava will not play Saturday against No. 1 Ohio State because of a concussion, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Iamaleava was injured during last week’s loss to Nebraska. He began experiencing concussion symptoms after the game, according to On3, which first reported that Iamaleava would not play.

With Iamaleava out, redshirt sophomore Luke Duncan will make his first career start. Duncan has not attempted a pass in college as he tries to take down the top-ranked Buckeyes.

Iamaleava has thrown for 1,659 yards with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in his first year with the Bruins after transferring from Tennessee.

He led UCLA to three straight wins in October, including a victory over then-No. 7 Penn State, but the Bruins (3-6) have lost two straight and need to win out to become bowl eligible.

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