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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) – South Carolina defensive end Dylan Stewart made a triumphant return from a one-game suspension, forcing two fumbles in a 38-19 victory over No. 16 Florida on Saturday.
Stewart had been suspended for throwing a punch at an Alabama player two weeks prior, causing him to miss the team's overtime loss to Kentucky the previous week. He rejoined the team this week and was inserted into the starting lineup against the Gators, where he immediately made his presence felt.
In the first quarter, Stewart beat Florida right tackle Emeka Ugorji, sacking Aaron Philo and causing a fumble that the Gators recovered. It was Stewart's first sack of the season. He then forced Philo to fumble again early in the fourth quarter.
"Having Stew back definitely made an impact," teammate Vicari Swain said. "He's a young kid so he's going to make mistakes. I'm sure what he said was heartfelt to us. It played a big difference in the W today."
Stewart finished with five tackles, including the sack. He was punished for punching Alabama tight end Josh Ford in the helmet in the fourth quarter of a 49-18 loss at Alabama. South Carolina coach Shane Beamer and the Southeastern Conference suspended him, with the league stating his egregious contact reflects behavior that is unacceptable and not aligned with the standards of the Southeastern Conference. The SEC added that any future misconduct by Dylan Stewart will result in more severe disciplinary action.
Stewart was an Associated Press preseason All-America first-team pick. He missed the first two games of the season because of a back injury.
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Originally reported by yahoo.