NCAA Sanctions

Three football programs (Alabama, FSU, USC) are being investigated for various infractions of major NCAA rules. Each program is facing loss of wins from seasons during the past decade and could face other penalties (loss of scholarship, fines, ect...). It is a good thing that the NCAA is finally showing some kind of spine towards maintaining institutional integrity. It is important for the NCAA to hold its ground, because they didn't when Oklahoma was stripped of their victories several years ago.
It is important to note that of the universities listed below, FSU and Alabama self-reported the violations. This may help slightly in the punishment, but self-reporting doesn't mean the violation never happened, as some fans argue for.

Alabama
The NCAA quickly came down with a verdict against the #7 all-time winningest college football program, Alabama. The Tide will vacate 21 wins from the 2005, 2006 and 2007 seasons. The loss of wins takes Alabama’s current total of 799 to 778, which moves Oklahoma (788 wins) to the #7 spot and places Bama only two wins in front of Tennessee. The reason for the sanctions is that scholarship players were using their ability to receive books at no cost to benefit students that were not on scholarship. Bama can appeal the ruling.
Additionally the Bama football program will have to pay a fine of $43,900 to cover the cost of books illegally given and will be on three years probation, meaning if they commit another violation they could face extreme punishment.
It seems as though Alabama has been on probation throughout the 2000’s, as they were serving a separate probation at the time that the text-book infractions were committed. The violations are not isolated to football, as 16 of Alabama’s athletic programs were found to be part of the “text-book ring”.

Top-10 Winningest College Football Programs
1. Michigan: 872-297-38
2.Texas: 832-320-34
3.Notre Dame: 831-285-42
4. Nebraska: 827-337-41
5. Ohio State: 808-306-53
6. Penn State 801-349-43
7. Alabama: 799-316-43
8. Oklahoma: 788-300-53
9. Tennessee: 776-327-55
10. USC: 765-303-54

Notes about this list:
1.) Nebraska needs 4 more wins than Notre Dame this season to tie for the #3 spot, or 5 wins to surpass.
2.) If Notre Dame manages to win 1 more game than Texas in 2009, the Fighting Irish could re-take the #2 spot.
3.) Alabama could fight to retake its previously held #6 spot, but Bama's likely loss of 21 wins will place them #8.
4.) With Alabama losing 21 wins, they will move to the #8 spot at 778 victories, two ahead of Tennessee. Meaning if Tennessee can muster up two more wins than Bama in 2009, the Vols will tie Bama for the #8 spot.

Florida State and USC
Florida State and the University of Southern California are facing a battle of their own. They may have to vacate wins due several infractions. Florida State would lose wins from several seasons. The subtracted wins from FSU and head coach Bobby Bowden would almost certainly solidify Penn State’s Joe Paterno as the all-time winningest Division I coach. Currently Paterno holds a one win lead over Bowden.
USC may have to vacate wins from their national championship run and Heisman winner Reggie Bush may lose his trophy. It is believed and there is solid evidence pointing towards Reggie Bush receiving a substantial amount of money during his career, which should be enough for the NCAA to take action. However, I really don’t think the NCAA will take away their championship and the Heisman Trophy from Bush, because the NCAA doesn’t have the balls to do it.

To Recap the Ultimate Depth Chart from the past week and half:
Quarterback
1. #15 Tommie Frazier
2. #15 Tim Tebow
3. #11 Mat Leinart
4. #10 Vince Young
5. #8 Davey O’Brien

Runningback 1
1. #21 Barry Sanders
2. #34 Bo Jackson
3. #77 Red Grange
4. #34 Ricky Williams
5. #33 Marcus Allen

Runningback 2
1. #34 Herschel Walker
2. #33 Tony Dorsett
3. #45 Archie Griffin
4. #30 Mike Rozier
5. #5 LaDainian Tomlinson

Fullback
1. Felix “Doc” Blanchard
2. Bronko Nagurski

Wide Receiver 1
1. Larry Fitzgerald
2. Johnny Rodgers
3. Peter Warrick
4. Howard Twilley

Wide Receiver 2
1. Roy Williams
2. Michael Crabtree
3. Tim Brown
4. Randy Moss
5. Anthony Carter

Tight End
1. Keith Jackson
2. Mike Ditka
3. Leon Hart
4. Kellen Winslow

Left Tackle
1. Bryant McKinnie
2. John Hicks
3. Bob Suffridge

Left Guard
1. Bill Fralic
2. Dean Steinkuhler
3. Notre Dame

Center
1. Dave Rimington
2. Chuck Bednarik

Right Guard
1. John Hannah
2. Jim Parker
3. Aaron Taylor

Right Tackle
1. Orlando Pace
2. Jonathan Ogden
3. Ron Yary

Defense

Defensive End 1
1. Hugh Green
2. Julius Peppers
3. Grant Wistrom
4. Ross Browner

Defensive End 2
1. Rich Glover
2. Terrell Suggs
3. Ted Hendricks

Defensive Tackle 1
1. Bruce Smith
2. Steve Emtman
3. Glenn Dorsey

Defensive Tackle 2
1. Bubba Smith
2. Lee Roy Selmon
3. Reggie White

Linebacker 1
1. Mike Singletary
2. Derrick Thomas
3. Dan Morgan

Linebacker 2
1. Dick Butkus
2. Tommy Nobis
3. Jerry Robinson

Linebacker 3
1. Lawrence Taylor
2. Brian Bosworth
3. Jack Youngblood

Cornerback 1
1. Deion Sanders
2. Terrell Buckley
3. Champ Bailey

Cornerback 2
1. Charles Woodson
2. Tommy Casanova
3. Darrell Green

Saftey 1
1. Ed Reed
2. Jack Tatum
3. Rod Woodson

Saftey 2
1. Ronnie Lott
2. Kenny Easley
3. George Webster

Kicker
1. Martin Gramatica

Punter
1. Ray Guy

Kick Returner
1. Reggie Bush
2. Johnny Rodgers

Punt Returner
1. Deion Sanders

Coaches
Paul “Bear” Bryant
Bud Wilkinson
Tom Osborne