Four past NCAA ineligibility cases were spotlighted after Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby was cleared to play despite a gambling scandal, underscoring how sharply college sports rules have shifted.
Craig Carton argued the contrast is stark: the sport has moved from punishing minor amateurism violations to allowing players far broader leeway in the NIL era.
$1,000 for a sold jersey got Georgia star A.J. Green suspended four games, while Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant lost a year after lying about contact with Deion Sanders.
Jeremy Bloom was barred from playing at Colorado while taking Olympic endorsements, and UCF kicker Donald De La Haye had to choose between football and his YouTube channel, now at 6.4 million subscribers.