Miami defensive back Xavier Lucas was ejected from the No. 10 Hurricanes’ narrow win against the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels in the Fiesta Bowl. With 8:54 remaining in regulation, Lucas launched into Ole Miss wide receiver Cayden Lee and after a review by the officials, he was ejected for targeting.
Will Lucas be available for Miami’s national championship game against the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers on Jan. 19?
Is Xavier Lucas Playing Tonight Against Indiana?
Lucas will be suspended for the first half of Miami’s national championship game against Indiana. According to NCAA rules, a player ejected from the second half of a game for targeting misses the rest of that game and the first half of the next game as well.
While speaking to the media before the national championship game, Miami coach Mario Cristobal bemoaned the rules that will rob him of one of his best players on the defensive side of the ball against a potent Indiana offense.
“Certainly do. We feel it was unjustly administered, and now it impacts the last game of the season,” Cristobal said. “We do have the ability, again, as an officiating crew and the powers that be, to revisit that to give every team due process and their best ability to compete in this game.”
After controversially joining the Canes from the Wisconsin Badgers via the transfer portal last year, Lucas has tallied 30 solo tackles, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception for the Hurricanes this season. He was part of a dominant Miami defense that earned a PFSN College Defense Impact score of B+.
Analyst Blasts Lucas’s Natty Game Suspension
During Friday’s segment of the “See The Ball Get The Ball” podcast, former ESPN analyst David Pollack blasted the NCAA for the rule that will keep Lucas out of the first half of the national championship game.
“I’m trying to get that targeting reversed, like that is such bullcrap,” Pollack said. “We’re gonna go watch a national championship game and a guy’s gonna sit out a half of the national championship. And because it was a horse crap call. It’s a terrible call. Like, the NCAA does nothing right. The rule sucks (and it) needs to be addressed.
“In the end, if you don’t want to handle this and you don’t want to take this rule on, don’t take it on. Fine the freaking kids. Just like the NFL. Like, if you don’t want to do the targeting one, targeting two, replay, fine the freaking kids, take their money. You want to change things, you take people’s money. That’s the fairest way to do it.”
The Hoosiers’ offense, led by Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, has blown out both of its College Football Playoff opponents so far and the absence of Lucas will make a difficult proposition for the Hurricanes nigh on impossible.
