Auburn dismisses linebacker Xavier Atkins from its football program, multiple outlets report. ESPN’s Pete Thamel says the decision is made on Monday night, ending Atkins’ time with the Tigers shortly after he is suspended during the season. The move follows Auburn’s 27-24 upset win over then-No. 1 Georgia, in which Atkins had been suspended.
Several reports describe the decision as final and unclear during the days immediately after the Georgia game. Newsweek and Yahoo Sports both link the dismissal to Atkins being suspended due to a disciplinary issue, though details of the issue are not provided in the coverage. With Auburn’s upcoming schedule including a matchup against LSU, the dismissal means Atkins will not be available for that next game and will not return to the program this season. The outlets differ mainly in how they describe his prominence and the uncertainty around his status before Monday’s decision, but they align on the dismissal itself and the timing relative to the Georgia upset.
