South Carolina coach Shane Beamer suspended star edge rusher Dylan Stewart indefinitely following a chaotic sideline incident during the Gamecocks' loss at Alabama, sidelining one of the top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft for at least the team's upcoming matchup with Kentucky. Beamer confirmed Stewart will not play in South Carolina's Oct. 3 game against Kentucky, and said he would make a decision on the player's longer-term future soon.
The suspension followed a string of incidents during Saturday's game, according to Greenville Online. Stewart was called for a roughing-the-passer penalty and later received a separate penalty after hitting Alabama tight end John Ford in the helmet with his hand, per that outlet's report. Reports diverge on the final score of the blowout loss — Greenville Online reported it as 49-18, while CBS Sports put it at 42-18 — but both accounts agree the game unraveled for South Carolina and its star pass rusher alike.
Punch, Penalty, and a Refusal to Leave the Field
According to CBS Sports, Stewart was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct in the fourth quarter after punching Ford following a whistle, though he was not ejected for the blow. The outlet's report also describes Stewart later refusing to come off the field, a standoff that only ended once South Carolina's coaching staff intervened directly. Per the Greenville Online account, Stewart did not come off the field until multiple coaches physically came onto it to remove him.
The sideline drama extended beyond the punch itself. Julian Walker attempted to substitute in for Stewart near the end of the Alabama game, but Stewart waved him away and then pushed him off, according to Greenville Online's reporting. Assistant coach Deion Barnes ultimately walked Walker back onto the field to complete the substitution, the outlet reported.
Beamer Calls the Conduct Unacceptable
Beamer did not mince words afterward. “That's unacceptable,” Beamer said of Stewart's punch, according to the same CBS Sports report. “That's not how we do things around here, and I'm embarrassed to see that.” He also called the atmosphere at Alabama fiery and competitive, per Greenville Online, but made clear that description was not an excuse.
Beamer framed the outburst as part of a broader concern about composure across his roster, not an isolated Stewart problem. “We got to make sure, not just Dylan, but with all of our players, that we make sure it's not affecting us in a negative way,” he said, per the CBS Sports report. Beamer also said Stewart responded appropriately in the second half, according to Greenville Online's account of his remarks.
A Star Still Working Back From Injury
The suspension arrives during an already disrupted season for Stewart, who is considered one of the top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft and has been South Carolina's top defender this year, per CBS Sports. He sustained a back injury midway through the 2025 season and missed the entire winter, spring and summer as a result, according to Greenville Online's reporting. Stewart also missed the first two weeks of this season because of the injury, and Saturday's game against Alabama was only his second appearance of the year — a outing in which he recorded a single quarterback hurry, per Greenville Online.
Beamer has said rest was the best way for Stewart to heal, according to that same report, underscoring how much the back issue has shaped his workload even before the sideline blowup. CBS Sports similarly noted that Stewart played minimally in his return, describing him as still working back into form after missing the offseason and fall camp entirely.
South Carolina now sits at 2-2 overall and 0-2 in SEC play, while Alabama improved to 4-0 and 2-0 in conference games, according to Greenville Online. The Gamecocks host Kentucky, which is 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the SEC, on Oct. 3 at 4:15 p.m. Eastern — a game Stewart will watch from the sideline as Beamer weighs what comes next for his star pass rusher.
