TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The battle of words between the NCAA and Florida State President T.K. Wetherell escalated Wednesday over sanctions the school must face for an academic cheating case.
In an unusual move, the NCAA issued a statement saying that Wetherell's claim of having an agreement with the NCAA on keeping student-athletes out of 30 percent of the next year's games is "not true."
The NCAA rarely comments on any pending case.
Florida State is appealing the part of its penalty that would force the school to forfeit records in 10 sports, including two seasons of football. Such a sanction could take away as many as 14 wins from coach Bobby Bowden, who is the second-most winning coach in major college football history behind Penn State's Joe Paterno.
But the NCAA says the Seminoles' punishment of losing their wins is decided by a separate body, the Committee on Infractions. It's separate from the process of re-establishing eligibility for the athletes involved.
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"At no time was an agreement on university penalties discussed with the institution in this case or any other case," the NCAA statement read. "President Wetherell's statements confuse the process for administering institutional penalties with the process for re-establishing student-athlete eligibility."
Wetherell said he'll provide documentation of an understanding he had with the NCAA on the penalties when they meet Nov. 15 at the NCAA's Indianapolis headquarters.
Ole Miss' McCluster hospitalized with flu
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi running back Dexter McCluster spent Tuesday night in the hospital because of flu symptoms, and nearly two dozen other Rebels players missed practice Wednesday as the virus continued to sweep though the team.
McCluster was released Wednesday morning but did not attend the afternoon practice.
As many as 27 players — or about 20 percent of the team — are in some stage of the flu, coach Houston Nutt said. The list includes starting quarterback Jevan Snead, McCluster and several other starters.
Extra points
• Rutgers freshman Tom Savage will start at quarterback on Saturday against Howard. Savage, one of the most highly touted recruits ever to sign with Rutgers, played the entire second half in the Scarlet Knights' 47-15 loss to Cincinnati on Monday night. He passed for 135 yards and a touchdown.
• If Alabama coach Nick Saban remains for nine more years, it will be worth $5 million to him. The university system's Board of Trustees compensation committee unanimously approved a three-year extension through Jan. 31, 2018, on Wednesday that doesn't include a salary hike but rewards him for staying, and guarantees he will remain among college football's five highest paid coaches.
• Saban says Alabama tailback Mark Ingram has the flu, but said he doesn't expect him to miss Saturday night's game against Florida International. Ingram and backup quarterback Star Jackson both missed Tuesday's practice with the flu. The two are roommates, and Jackson caught the bug first. Ingram ran for 150 yards in an opening 34-24 victory over Virginia Tech.
