Michael Dyer Suspended for Chick-Fil-A-Bowl: What's Auburn's Outlook Without Him

Following the departure of Heisman-winning quarterback Cam Newton, Auburn’s offense has struggled mightily this year and the unit hasn’t looked anything like the same high-powered attack that won the Tigers a BCS National Championship last season.

The one saving grace this year has been budding star sophomore running back Michael Dyer, who ran for 1,242 yards, scored 10 touchdowns and turned out to be the struggling offense’s key difference-maker.

But now, Auburn has confirmed that Dyer has been suspended from the team for an undisclosed violation of team rules, and he will not be with the Tigers when they take on Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31 in Atlanta (via ESPN).

Dyer’s loss will be tough to take for an offense, which averaged just 328 yards and 24 points per game this year. The talented former 5-star recruit accounted for over half of the team’s offensive production, and his absence will surely be felt.

The Tigers will likely now have to lean more heavily on Dyer’s sidekick, Onterio McCalebb, who rushed for 532 yards and scored six touchdowns this season. McCalebb is one of the fastest and most explosive backs in the SEC, but his 5’11’’ 175-pound frame isn’t built to pound the ball inside the tackles.

We’ll also likely get a more extensive look at freshman Tre Mason, who only touched the ball 19 times this year, but still managed to average over five yards per carry.

Mason, one of the most highly touted running back prospects of the 2011 recruiting class, has a ton of potential, and he’s definitely an intriguing young player to watch in the coming years, but his lack of experience could be a hindrance.

If Auburn could do one thing right on offense this year, it was run the football—the Tigers ranked fourth in the SEC in rushing yards per game, but without Dyer in the fold, their chances of finding consistent offensive success against Virginia took a big hit.

You can bet that the Cavaliers are going to be pumped to be playing in their first bowl game since 2007, and they happen to have one of the most underrated defenses in the country.

Virginia currently ranks in the Top 35 nationally in both scoring defense and total defense, as the Cavs have given up an average of just 22 points and 343 yards per game this season.

They have veteran front seven players—like defensive linemen Matt Conrath and Cam Johnson, and linebacker Steve Greer—who are going to make it awfully tough for the Auburn offense to move the ball consistently for four quarters.

Right now, no one knows what the future holds for Michael Dyer, and some are speculating that he may have played his last game with the Tigers. If that's indeed the case, Auburn fans will get an early look of what the offense will look like without Dyer in the lineup next year.

I have a feeling, though, that they may not like what they see.