GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 11: Mackensie Alexander #2 and Austin Bryant #91 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates a missed field goal in the first quarter by Adam Griffith #99 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 11, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Clemson loses defensive starter for Auburn game

This game has already become marred with injuries.

The first game of the college football season is less than three weeks away and one of the marquee matchups is Auburn-Clemson. It's a primetime game and will be shown on the SEC Network.

RELATED: SEC Network announces broadcast team for Auburn-Clemson game

However, the game has already been marred by some injuries and dismissals before it's even begun. Auburn dismissed returning starter Jovon Robinson and cornerback Jamel Dean will miss extended for a knee injury. Auburn isn't the only one dealing with issues though as a Clemson defensive starter will miss the game too.

RELATED: Auburn CB out indefinitely after knee injury

Defensive end Austin Bryant will miss the game and probably a few more because of a foot injury suffered in practice on Monday. Coach Dabo Swinney talked about the injury after practice and it sounds like it's a fairly normal procedure that Bryant has undergone already.

"Just kind of a freaky thing. It was really the same thing he did in high school, but he had a screw put in the bottom part of his toe this morning. So he is going to be out for a few weeks. Hopefully, we will have him back sooner than later. We are hoping for the Georgia Tech game that he will be ready to roll, but we will see. (It was) pretty simple procedure as far as what they did. Like I said, he actually had the exact same thing on the left foot in high school. Screw stays with you for life, so now he has got two screws in the same spot on both feet. He will be back and ready to go and in the meantime, somebody else will step up."

Fortunately, Clemson has a few cupcakes after Auburn leading up to that short week Georgia Tech game so they won't miss Bryant too much. As a freshman last season, he recorded 23 total tackles with two for a loss and 1.5 sacks.

 

[h/t TigerNet]