Ole Miss Football Player Arrested for Alleged Drug Possession on Eve of Sugar Bowl Game

NEED TO KNOW

• An Ole Miss football player was arrested
• Dante Jovon Core, a freshman defensive back, was taken into custody after a traffic stop in Alabama last week
• Authorities said Core was allegedly driving more than 110 mph at the time, and claim they found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in his vehicle

An Ole Miss football player was arrested days before the team is set to play in the Sugar Bowl.

Dante Jovon Core, a freshman defensive back, was allegedly speeding when police pulled him over in Andalusia, Ala. on Friday, Dec. 26, authorities said, per AL.com and WTVA-TV.

Officers claim Core, from Fort Walton, Fla., was driving more than 110 mph when he was pulled over in a traffic stop in the small town in south Alabama, the outlets reported.

Core’s vehicle did not have a visible license plate, and officers smelled marijuana which prompted a search of the car, authorities said.

After police found marijuana and drug paraphernalia, Core was taken into custody, officers told the outlets.

The athlete posted a $1,000 bond and was later released from jail, authorities said.

The Covington County sheriff's office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for more details.

Core’s arrest comes on the eve of the Sugar Bowl, when the team will take on the Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on New Years Day. The game is a quarterfinal for the College Football Playoffs.

The 12-1 Rebels will be without their longtime coach Lane Kiffin, who accepted the head coaching job at LSU earlier this month.

The move to Baton Rouge was not without drama.

"This was a very challenging, difficult day," Kiffin told ESPN about his decision to leave Ole Miss. "We went through a lot last night with [Ole Miss athletic director] Keith Carter trying to figure out a way to make this playoff run work and be able to coach the team. And at the end of the day, that's his decision and I totally respect that. I understand that decision.”

Kiffin, whose clothes were seen on the sidewalk amid the transition, added: "I just totally wish the team the best of luck, wish that I was coaching.”

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