Charleston Southern suspends 14 for Florida State game

Charleston Southern has suspended 14 players for its game at No. 3 Florida State on Saturday for violating NCAA rules by using financial aid meant for books to purchase other items.

The school said Friday in a statement that a total of 32 players would serve one-game suspensions. None of the players was identified by the school. Charleston Southern said 16 players already have served suspensions over the first two games of the season and two more would serve a suspension later.

The punishment gained attention Thursday night when a few Charleston Southern players posted on social media that they had been suspended for using book money improperly.

In a Facebook post, running back Ben Robinson said players used leftover book money to buy things such as pencils, binders and electronics in the bookstore after workers advised them to do so.

"Now the school and NCAA are saying that is against the rules," wrote Robinson, who is from Tallahassee, Florida. "So we all have to pay a fine and sit out a game." Robinson said more than 30 players had been suspended but did not mention that the suspensions were staggered.

The school said it is continuing an internal review and working with the NCAA and Big South Conference.

Charleston Southern, the seventh-ranked team in FCS, was not likely to challenge Florida State even with all its players.

"The guys that we're taking down there played and have helped us win before," coach Jamey Chadwell told WCIV-TV as the team was leaving for Tallahassee. "There's going to be some new guys. Obviously it's not the situation you want to go in with a No. 3 or 4 team in the country. ... We'll go in there and play. I think we'll be fine."

Last week, Charleston Southern athletic director Hank Small announced that Chadwell would be suspended for the Oct. 8 game against Albany State for improperly using social media to make contact with a recruit.