Jabari Ruffin Suspended by USC: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

USC Trojans head coach Clay Helton announced the team has suspended defensive end Jabari Ruffin for the first half of next Saturday's game against the Utah State Aggies, Zach Helfand of the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.

Officials ejected Ruffin in the first half of the Trojans' 52-6 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide after he stomped on Alabama cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick's groin in the second quarter Saturday.

"That player knows what he did," Helton said Saturday night of the transgression, per Keely Eure of USCFootball.com. "Emotion fuels bad decisions."

Ruffin's penalty was the beginning of the end for USC. Two plays after his stomp, Marlon Humphrey intercepted a Max Browne pass and returned it 18 yards for the touchdown. Alabama then quickly jumped out to a 31-3 lead in the third quarter and didn't look back.

Many expected Ruffin to receive some form of retrospective punishment. CBSSports.com's Jon Solomon immediately called for a one-game suspension:

Helton isn't exactly bringing the hammer down on Ruffin. Utah State will likely be the easiest opponent on USC's schedule. The Aggies lost to the Akron Zips in last year's Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to finish 6-7, and they beat the Weber State Wildcats 45-6 in their 2016 season opener.

When Ruffin is eligible to return in the second half, the Trojans may not even need him on the field.

Ruffin's short suspension will allow him to get a little extra game time ahead of USC's highly anticipated matchup with the eighth-ranked Stanford Cardinal on Sept. 17. Beating the Cardinal on the road will help some fans forget about the team's embarrassing defeat to Alabama on Saturday.