LSU starting safety A.J. Haulcy will be sidelined for the first half of Saturday’s highly anticipated matchup against Clemson due to an ejection from the prior season, as confirmed by an NCAA official to CBS Sports.

Haulcy, who transferred from Houston, received the ejection during the fourth quarter of the Cougars’ regular-season finale against BYU. Initially labeled as unsportsmanlike conduct, the penalty was later upgraded to fighting after the game, resulting in a mandatory first-half suspension for the next game, which is now with a different team.

LSU’s head coach, Brian Kelly, stated that the coaching staff was only made aware of Haulcy’s situation recently. Despite being informed less than a week before the game, Kelly noted that the NCAA had previously communicated regarding the suspension to Houston’s coaching staff. “We were informed of his situation on Wednesday,” Kelly said, highlighting the coaching staff’s preparations for his participation before the new ruling came to light.

As NCAA guidelines do not allow for appeals regarding fighting ejections, LSU and Haulcy find themselves without options just days away from facing the fourth-ranked Clemson team. This absence is expected to be a significant set-back, especially against a strong Clemson offense where Haulcy was anticipated to play a key role in strengthening LSU’s defense. According to a source from LSU, “Haulcy has really stabilized the (safety) group.”

Heading into the game, Clemson was favored by 3.5 points, a line that has since moved to Clemson -4.