"I look at this as a watershed moment," said R. David Ridpath, assistant professor of sports administration at Ohio University and a critic of big-time intercollegiate athletics. "This is the case where either the NCAA investigative process gets its act together, or sends a message that it's OK to lie to the NCAA."
Since 2004, four universities that are part of the Football Bowl Championship division were pen-
alized by the NCAA for allowing ineligible players to participate in games. All were repeat offenders, but the NCAA did not issue penalties for that.
Even so, Alabama (football), South Alabama (men's tennis), Arkansas (track) and Southern California (football) had to vacate all victories in which the ineligible athletes competed. All four teams were placed on probation. Southern California was banned from the football postseason for two years.
The Ohio State case also involves unethical conduct by the coach.
