Penn State bowl ban lifted immediately, full scholarships for 2015-2016
The Penn State Nittany Lions are eligible to play in a bowl game this season after the NCAA ruled they are satisfied with the athletic department’s progress in ensuring it functions with integrity.
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“Penn State’s commitment to the integrity of its athletics department and its progress toward meeting the requirements of the Consent Decree are clear,” said Northern Arizona President Rita Hartung Cheng via NCAA.org, who chaired Monday’s Executive Committee meeting. “We thank Senator Mitchell for his meticulous and exhaustive work over the past two years. Mitchell’s efforts and the dedication of Penn State officials made today’s decisions possible.”
Penn State was given scholarship reductions and banned from postseason play after the Joe Sandusky sex abuse scandal that rocked Happy Valley and college athletics that resulted in Joe Paterno being removed as the head coach and swift and severe penalties being handed down.
Due to Penn State’s progress in ensuring athletics dept functions with integrity, NCAA immediately restores football postseason eligibility.
— NCAA (@NCAA) September 8, 2014
The university had to pay a $60 million fine, was banned from postseason play for four years and vacated its 112 wins from 1998-2011. The Nittany Lions also had to lose 10 initial scholarships for four years beginning in 2013-14 and will drop its total number of scholarships from 85 to 65 for four years beginning in 2014-15 and was placed on probation for five years.
A reduction in the penalties was announced in 2013 that allowed the Nittany Lions to have 75 scholarships in 2014, 80 in 2015 and the full allotment of 85 in 2016.
This is a significant victory for the university, first-year head coach James Franklin and the football team that will no longer be punished for the crimes and misdoings of others.
Penn State is off to a 2-0 start and has one of the best quarterbacks in college in Christian Hackenberg and is almost assured of reaching the six wins to be eligible for a bowl game.