Nebraska - Penn State cross over game

[Dave Feit]

Two teams in the Leaders division will most likely be ineligible for the Big 10 Championship game... Wisconsin is pretty much a given.

I won't argue Wisconsin, but if Purdue is ever going to win the division this would be the year.

[Full Husker]

I don't understand the argument that PSU got no competitive advantage by hiding the activities of a sexual predator. Recruiting involves the reputation of the coach and the university, if this had become public in 1994 or anytime afterward it would tarnished the reputations of both and had an effect on the program. Keeping it hidden assisted recruiting among other things. The University should lose all federal funding under the Cleary act and the heaviest penalty handed down by the NCAA in its history in football only. Perhaps Notre Dame would be a guest member fof the Big for 5 to 10 years in football. We need the season to start the PSU situation is sticking up college football. GBR

[The Impaler]

I don't understand why everyone is so interested in the NCAA getting involved in this. I understand that what happened was egregious but dishing out the death penalty does nothing to help any of the victims. The people responsible (that are still alive) are facing criminal charges and/or the rest of their life in jail (Sandusky). Not to mention the MILLIONS of dollars PSU is gonna pay in civil suits.

The NCAA is largely a competion committee. This has nothing to do with that. You could make the argument that it "helped" recruiting by not coming out but that doesn't really seem to hold water considering their current recruiting class.

It's funny, one of the biggest complaints about NCAA sanctions is how it doesn't punish those responsible, yet now people are crying for the NCAA to come in an punish kids/coaches/fans for egregious acts of a few people that are already being punished. Makes no sense to me.

[DuckTownHusker]

My heart goes out to Penn State because there are so many similarities to Nebraska. They're both legendary football schools with almost mythical head coaches. They both represent the "working class," certainly more than a school like Miami or USC, and they have strong traditions that date back a century.

This situation is terrible. Those who did wrong (JoePa included) deserve their punishment. But it is a travesty to what is otherwise a great institution. Think about PSU's women's volleyball team. Or wrestling. Or their academics. Each and every one of these things will suffer because of the actions of a few.

I feel for the victims of this scandal - both those molested, and the innocent hard-working PSU family who now has to shoulder the blame and reputation for a group of criminals who exploited them.

[SpringsHusker]

Without PSU already being on probation, I can't understand how they would get a death penalty.

The death penalty (as in cancelling 1 or more seasons of play for the penalized team) has been handed out 5 times and only in the SMU case was the team already on probation. So at least there is precedent.

[cwark5]

I have no reason to believe that State Penn will get the death penalty, but I don't understand the argument of those who say the innocent will be punished for the crimes of others. Doesn't EVERY ncaa penalty do that? Recent examples of Ohio St, USC, and soon to be Miami punish the school, not just the people who did the crimes. They are long gone and the innocent kids who had nothing to do with it are paying for it.

[blkshrts]

I don't think that PSU will get the death penalty but I if there is a case for a school to receive one this is it. I realize that it only punishes current players and staff but nothing, and I mean nothing, could compare to what those kids went through. If losing football for a couple yrs means that it will hurt the school for even longer than that is a good thing imo. PSU covered up everything so it wouldn't look bad in the public eye, well how bad does it look now? I find it almost as disturbing that Jay Paterno is still in denial about what his father has done, and how bout Mrs. Sandusky? I don't believe for a minuter that she never new what was going on. As for the alumni, well they can work to help restore the reputation of the school and make it the great school that it was. Most of you ( maybe all) are a lot smarter than I am but there should never be a time when you allow your child, no matter what the age, to go to a place of higher learning and wonder if they are in any danger and if it takes the death penalty to hammer that home it couldn't come fast enough.

[huskon4ever!]

Who cares if you're going to punish the people coming there after? They made the decision to attend school there and be associated with PSU and have every right to disassociate themselves with the University if they so choose. If that reason is always used, then what will prevent teams from committing more violations in the future at any institution? These loss of 10 scholarship punishments don't do anything. Has USC stumbled? Nope. They replace one grease ball coach with another. Auburn should have lost way more than they did, and I'm sure the same will be said against Miami once they rule on that. Until the NCAA steps up and is willing to 'bring down' one of the major universities for continuing to pull this crap, nothing will change.

[statman29]

I don't think that they will get the death penalty. It would affect too many innocent schools, and innocent people at Penn State. I'm thinking they lose scholarships, bowl games, tv money. for multiple years.

But.. who knows what the NCAA will do? If they do give Penn State the death Penalty the Big 10 needs to just drop them from the conference and ad a new team. Notre Dame preferably (don't think that'll ever happen). Maybe Florida State like some suggested they seem to be unhappy with things in the ACC.

[redarmy]

I motion to have Penn St. replaced with Notre Lame and have them be our annual punching bag. done.

[Husker Mort]

There are a couple of options:

Option A: The Big Ten reverts to a round-robin schedule for the duration of the death penalty, just like they did pre-Huskers. Nebraska just becomes Penn State. As an added tweak, they could petition the NCAA to let the two teams with the best records play for a CCG.

Option B: The Big Ten automatically gives every team facing Penn State an automatic win. That certainly favors the Leaders, plus Nebraska and any other Legends that drew Penn State on the '12 schedule. It's not perhaps the most fair option, though.

Option C: The Big Ten restructures the schedule to allow each school to play 7 conference games and 5 non-conference games. This is a logistical nightmare and would mean a lot of Big Ten teams playing semi-fictional schools like Southwestern Arizona State or Mid-Central Kentucky A&M. FCS-ness abounds.

I know what you meant, but BITE YOUR TONGUE!

Agreed.

It sucks we have to play Penn State every year I was hoping for Wisky.

Agreed. It was a natural rivalry and the B1G made a huge tactical error. Now, we're stuck having to travel to the opposite side of the conference every-other year to receive terrible fan treatment, when we could just go to Madison for it.

My heart goes out to Penn State because there are so many similarities to Nebraska. They're both legendary football schools with almost mythical head coaches. They both represent the "working class," certainly more than a school like Miami or USC, and they have strong traditions that date back a century.

This situation is terrible. Those who did wrong (JoePa included) deserve their punishment. But it is a travesty to what is otherwise a great institution. Think about PSU's women's volleyball team. Or wrestling. Or their academics. Each and every one of these things will suffer because of the actions of a few.

I feel for the victims of this scandal - both those molested, and the innocent hard-working PSU family who now has to shoulder the blame and reputation for a group of criminals who exploited them.

Indeed.

[BubbaGene]

However the kids that are in the football program had nothing to do with this and shouldn't be punished because the grown-ups are hideous cowards.

The kids can go play somewhere else. This is bigger than their immediate happiness and convenience. If they are sensible, they'll understand.

[CornfieldCounty]

Who cares if you're going to punish the people coming there after? They made the decision to attend school there and be associated with PSU and have every right to disassociate themselves with the University if they so choose. If that reason is always used, then what will prevent teams from committing more violations in the future at any institution? These loss of 10 scholarship punishments don't do anything. Has USC stumbled? Nope. They replace one grease ball coach with another. Auburn should have lost way more than they did, and I'm sure the same will be said against Miami once they rule on that. Until the NCAA steps up and is willing to 'bring down' one of the major universities for continuing to pull this crap, nothing will change.

+1

I believe its still 50/50 they get the death penalty.

[huskon4ever!]

+1

I believe its still 50/50 they get the death penalty.

Its gotta be a complete crap shoot with the NCAA doesn't it? Part of me thinks there is 0% chance they get it, but the other side says, the NCAA is so backwards they would let OSU, USC and Miami by with their stuff, but nail PSU to the wall for something that wasn't directly related to bringing in the best players... who knows.

[Pops]

Penn State will NOT receive the Death Penalty there are way too many influential Penn State alum around the country who'll do everything they can to keep that from happening . In my opinion they may take some of the wins from Paterno, a few scholarships and perhaps a ban on post season. This is getting to be a real joke as the NCAA continues to say there was NO advantage for the football team and this is a criminal matter.
They are in clear violation of the Cleary Act and I'm not sure anything will be done about that violation.
Their former president (and the former chancellor of Nebraska, Oregon State, SUNY of New York ) is a gutless leader who is STILL BEING PAID and has not been charged with anything. The guy is a career administrator ( politcian) who's never worked a day in his life. He's the one who's spineless leadership lead to Sandusky's fourteen years of molesting kids.
The guy spent his entire adult life as an admisttrator ( avoiding work of any kind) just trying to justify his job. He is the third HIGHEST paid college president and spent most of his time at Penn State trying to make sure his salary was never made public. He's a real A** kisser and no matter where you work you know the kind of guy I'm talking about.
This is the one guy who should BURN !

you mean like how they kept the abuse under the rug? those people! well gee then, we should all listen to them