One player leaves Michigan State; two others suspended for Holiday Bowl

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The Holiday Bowl in San Diego is just a week away, where the No. 16 Michigan State Spartans (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) will battle No. 18 Washington State (9-3, 6-3 Pac-12) in San Diego. However, there will be a few absences on Michigan State’s end.

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According to head coach Mark Dantonio, redshirt junior defensive end Robert Bowers is no longer on the team, though he didn’t go into details as to why.

“Robert Bowers (is) no longer on the team following the Ohio State game,” Dantonio said. “Separated from the team.” 

Bowers hasn’t been with the team since Michigan State’s loss to Ohio State on Nov. 11. 

In addition to Bowers, redshirt freshmen safety Austin Andrews and true freshman defensive end Lashawn Paulino-Bell were suspended for the game and will not be traveling with the team. Again, Dantonio declined to go into specifics, although he did note that the suspensions weren’t “related to academics” but due to “separate incidents.” 

“It’s not related to academics,” Dantonio said of the suspended freshmen. “Lashawn Paulino-Bell will not make the trip, nor will Austin Andrews. Separate incidents. I suspended them for the bowl game.”

Bowers appeared in eight games this season for the Spartans, making two tackles (including a half tackle for a loss) and a quarterback hurry. Last year, he played in seven games and made three starts, recording 10 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

Meanwhile, Andrews redshirted last season and suited up for just one game this year, recording a single tackle. Paulino-Bell redshirted this year and didn’t appear in any games. He suffered serious internal injuries in a jet ski accident last spring.