Georgia Southern QB Kevin Ellison Suspended For West Virginia, Western Michigan Games

Not the best news for Georgia Southern Eagles fans today as starting quarterback Kevin Ellison will be suspended for his team's first two contests. The junior, who made the preseason Manning Award watch list, was ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA per the university.

The school's release reads as follows:

Georgia Southern Quarterback Kevin Ellison Suspended First Two Games
Junior to miss West Virginia and Western Michigan contests

STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern quarterback Kevin Ellison has been ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA for failing to meet the organization's academic requirements for football student-athletes and will be suspended for the Eagles' opening two games, as announced Wednesday by athletic director Tom Kleinlein. The junior from Cornelia, Georgia, will miss the opener at West Virginia (Sept. 5) and the Western Michigan game (Sept. 12).

Needless to say, this is a blow for the Eagles' upset hopes over the West Virginia Mountaineers. This also hurts Southern's chances in what already going to be a very tough game against the ascendant Western Michigan Broncos. Backup Favian Upshaw did get some playing time last year, but Ellison was a workhorse in Willie Fritz's option attack.

Our Georgia Southern beat writer Haisten Willis will have more analysis to come on this developing story.

UPDATE: More details and analysis here.