Steve Fink, a spokesman for the athletic department, said Thursday that Mitchell, tailback Bobby Wallace and cornerback Chris Hail were suspended for the Gamecocks' home opener Sept. 1. The three players also were suspended from the team's first two practices this fall for missing classes.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier was not immediately available for comment today.

The suspension is the latest setback for the Gamecocks' starting quarterback. Mitchell was arrested a year ago and charged with simple assault after a nightclub bouncer told police that Mitchell punched him. The charge was later dropped, but Mitchell sat out for several weeks as Syvelle Newton ran the South Carolina offense.

Behind Mitchell this year are redshirt freshman Chris Smelley and sophomore Tommy Beecher.

When Mitchell, a 6-foot-3, 211-pounder from LaGrange, Ga., was suspended for practices this fall, Spurrier said he was disappointed, but not shocked because the quarterback had "done some disappointing things before."

Mitchell, who started much of the last two seasons, said then that he had let his coaches and teammates down.