Penn State Penalties Include $60 Million Fine, Four-Year Bowl Ban, Loss of 112 Victories

by Jonathan Gault on Mon, Jul 23, 2012 at 11:04AM

It wasn't the death penalty, but NCAA president Mark Emmert made a statement Monday morning, levying several large sanctions against Penn State.

The penalties came as a result of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal and subsequent cover-up by prominent university officials, including former — and now deceased — head football coach Joe Paterno, former university president Graham Spanier, former university vice president Gary Schultz and athletic director Tim Curley, who is on leave.

The full punishment includes a $60 million fine; a four-year postseason ban, which includes bowl games and conference championship games; vacating all 112 Penn State victories between 1998 and 2011; eliminating 10 scholarships for the 2012 season and 20 scholarships per year every year from 2013-2016; and five years of probation.

All current Penn State players will be able to transfer to other schools without penalty.

The loss of 112 victories moves Paterno's career victory total back to 298. When he was fired in November, Paterno led all Division I coaches with 410 victories all-time. That honor now returns to the late Eddie Robinson of Grambling State, with 408 victories.