It is not the Christmas present Irish fans expected to unwrap this morning, but it is a gift in Notre Dame’s favor, nonetheless. As of Monday evening, Clemson will be without first-team defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence on Saturday in the College Football Playoff semifinal in Dallas (4 ET; ESPN). Lawrence and two reserve teammates tested positive for trace amounts of ostarine, per Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney.
While a B sample test could clear the three yet this week, that would be a surprise. For clarity here: Both halves of that sentence are rather standard in drug testing protocols.