Auburn fired football coach Bryan Harsin on Monday after less than two seasons, ending a rocky tenure in which the proud program struggled to compete in the Southeastern Conference.

Harsin went 9-12 overall, 3-5 this year. Auburn has lost four straight games while struggling against Power Five opponents, including a 41-27 loss to Arkansas on Oct. 29 that proved the final straw. Auburn will owe Harsin 70% of his remaining contract – more than $15 million – and half of that must be paid within 30 days.

“President (Chris) Roberts made the decision after a thorough review and evaluation of all aspects of the football program,” the school said in a brief statement announcing the move.

“Auburn will begin an immediate search for a coach that will return the Auburn program to a place where it is consistently competing at the highest levels and representing the winning tradition that is Auburn football,” the statement said.

Auburn canceled its weekly football news conference about 90 minutes before Harsin was scheduled to speak. The school didn’t immediately name an interim coach. The Tigers play at Mississippi State on Saturday.

Harsin was hired away from Boise State in December 2020 and Auburn gave him a six-year, $31.5 million deal. He never came close to replicating his past success or making the Tigers competitive in the SEC, and he failed to keep up with rivals Georgia and Alabama on the field or on the recruiting trail.

MICHIGIAN-MICHIGAN STATE: Jim Harbaugh expects the four suspended Michigan State football players involved in roughing up two members of Michigan’s team to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

“I can’t imagine that this will not result in criminal charges,” the Michigan coach said Monday.

Michigan State Coach Mel Tucker said later Monday that it would be irresponsible to respond to Harbaugh’s call for criminal charges due to the ongoing investigation.

“We’re not here to make any excuses for the behaviors Saturday,” Tucker said. “They are unacceptable.”

Harbaugh said defensive back Gemon Green was punched by a Spartan in the Michigan Stadium tunnel to spark the melee shortly after the fourth-ranked Wolverines beat their in-state rival on Saturday night and teammate Ja’Den McBurrows was attacked when he tried to help.

McBurrows is seen on a video shared on social media being pushed, punched and kicked by multiple Michigan State players, who pulled him out of the tunnel and into a hallway that doesn’t lead to either locker room.

Tucker announced Sunday night that linebacker Tank Brown, safety Angelo Grose, defensive end Zion Young and cornerback Khary Crump were suspended immediately. Tucker said the decision was made after “reviewing the disturbing electronic evidence.”

GATORS: Florida has dismissed pass rusher Brenton Cox for what Coach Billy Napier called “more of a cumulative effect here.”

Cox, a fifth-year junior and one of the team’s best defenders, is expected to turn pro and enter the NFL draft. The Stockbridge, Georgia native has 41 tackles, including 9 1/2 for loss and four sacks. He also leads the Gators with 19 quarterback hurries.

SYRACUSE: Defensive back Garrett Williams, who led the Atlantic Coast Conference in pass breakups in each of the previous two seasons, will miss the rest of this season for the No. 22 Orange because of a knee injury.

Coach Dino Babers said Williams has a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Williams was injured in the second quarter against North Carolina State on Oct. 15 and didn’t play in the Orange’s 27-21 loss at Clemson just over a week ago.

He was hurt again in the first half of a 41-24 home loss to Notre Dame on Saturday and needed help leaving the field and entering the medical tent. He returned to the sideline on crutches.

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ARIZONA: Guard Courtney Ramey will be suspended the first three games of the season for participating in a non-certified pre-draft camp last spring.

The school announced Ramey lost an appeal for taking part in the seniors-only Portsmouth (Virginia) Invitational in April.

Ramey will be able to play in No. 18 Arizona’s exhibition game against Western Oregon on Tuesday, but will have to sit out games against Nicholls, Southern and Utah Tech.

The Portsmouth Invitational was designed for seniors who had exhausted their college eligibility, but Ramey’s participation was a bit of a gray area because the NCAA gave players an extra COVID-19 year. The camp was not played the past two years due to COVID-19 concerns.

A fifth-year senior, Ramey is expected to play a big role for Arizona this season after transferring from Texas, where he spent most of the past four years as a starter.