Off Tackle Empire, for Big Ten coverage

"In a signal that tougher penalties likely loom, the NCAA has notified Ohio State University that it is facing a charge of failing to monitor its violation-plagued football program. Failure to monitor is the second-worst finding the NCAA can impose on an athletic program. Ohio State announced the NCAA findings this afternoon and that it would cut five scholarships over a three-year period beginning next year. The NCAA allows football programs to have 85 scholarship players. A spokesman for Ohio State athletics said the self-imposed punishment would not mean the Buckeyes would pare back to 80 scholarships over the next three years. He said that the team might not use, say, two of the 85 in 2012, one in 2013 and two in 2014, for a total of five over the period. The NCAA previously had notified OSU that it was not being accused of failure to monitor or the worst charge — loss of institutional control. The NCAA’s move to invoke the charge now means that the NCAA considers the violations committed by Ohio State to stem from a central problem, rather than individual misdeed."

NCAA football is at a crossroads. While the sport is seeing record revenues thanks to giant television contracts and merchandise sales, there is also a cancer that is permeating what is rapidly becoming America's pastime.

The Steve Bellisari comeback game, aka Columbia v Columbus, ruined by a late interception and a game winning field goal for the Gamecocks. One hell of a game for anyone who likes to see Ohio State lose and probably SC's high point of the last 10 years? Tressel was so enraged he ordered the Buckeye's to win the National Championship the following year, which they did. Holtz was so inspired that he ordered the Gamecocks to go 5-7 in consecutive seasons, which they did. Law Buckeye and I greatly enjoyed our stop in Columbia, SC, this Spring. It's a great town and if you visit, make sure you stop at Maurice's BBQ for some of the best South Carolina BBQ you'll ever taste. Just don't ask Maurice his opinion on liberals, segregation, or the Civil Rights Act. Here are the countdown games so far... #6 -- Iowa v LSU, 2005 Capital One Bowl #7 -- Georgia v Purdue, 2000 Outback Bowl #8 -- Michigan State v Florida, 2000 Citrus Bowl #9 -- Florida v Iowa, 2006 Outback Bowl #10 -- Wisconsin v Arkansas, 2007 Capitol One Bowl