Key Georgia RBs Suspended for 1 Game, but Did Georgia Know Before the Party?

Say it ain't so, Mark Richt, say it ain't so.

It was announced today that three running backs from the University of Georgia—freakish good one Isaiah Crowell and teammates Ken Malcolme and Carlton Thomas—had been suspended for one game (New Mexico State) after failing drugs tests.

Both Crowell and Malcolme played against Florida—Georgia won 24-20.

We'd just like to ask this question: Did Georgia know about the failed drugs tests prior to the Cocktail Party? And if so, then why didn't Mark Richt suspend them before the Florida game? Is doing what's right more important than doing what's right?

Stewart Mandel of SI seemed to cynically indicate that the suspensions just days after the Florida game for a game against New Mexico State that the Bulldogs should walk through (although Richard Samuel's also out for four weeks with a broken ankle means that they'll do an awful lot of throwing!) was a "Complete coincidence it happened this week." 

The University itself has insisted that if the Georgia's failed drugs tests had come through before the Florida game, then all three players would have been suspended (we'd argue that Georgia probably would have lost that game).

We'd just like someone to tell us when the results were discovered, that's all—be it the SEC or the University of Georgia.

After all, 2011 has had enough cover-ups to last us a lifetime. And the last thing people will want to say about Mark Richt is: 'Say it ain't so, Mark, say it's ain't so'.