A&M's Bennett suspended

So much for Michael Bennett being in Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman's good graces. The senior defensive end, who missed the Alamo Bowl last season for academic reasons, has been suspended for Saturday's Big 12 home opener.

“Michael Bennett will not play in Saturday’s game against Kansas State due to a violation of team rules," Sherman said in a statement released by the school.

Earlier this season, Sherman praised Bennett for turning things around in the classroom, buckling down in the spring and summer semesters so he could become academically eligible for his final season. He has become a major playmaker on the Aggies' defense.

"I think Michael Bennett has come to a certain level ... of maturity that maybe he hasn't always had," Sherman said last month. "We don't give him an inch on anything, and he has responded well. [I don't know] if I've been on anybody's back more."

-- Lori Dann