Carson, Calif. -- Penn State has suspended wide receiver Saeed Blacknall and linebacker Manny Bowen for the Rose Bowl due to a violation of team rules, a team spokesperson said prior to the Lions first practice of the week here at the StubHub Center on Wednesday afternoon.

Both players did make the trip, and are practicing, but won't play next Monday's matchup opposite USC. There were no additional details.

Bowen started the final 12 games of the 2016 season for the Lions as the program had to cope first with Nyeem Wartman-White's early season-ending injury followed by Brandon Bell and Jason Cabinda missing multiple games due to their own ailments. He made 68 tackles, the fourth-most of any Lions' defender, and registered 8.5 tackles for loss.

It was not immediately clear who would replace him in defensive coordinator Brent Pry's rotation, but it's likely to be Koa Farmer, who saw extended reps at the outside linebacker spot as the season went on, making 27 stops total.

Blacknall was vital to the Lions even getting here, as even though he had up and down play all season, his six catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns propelled the Lions to a Big Ten title victory over Wisconsin. DeAndre Thompkins is expected to take those reps now in "The Grandaddy of Them All."