Auburn's Misdeeds...

Auburn paid players?
Auburn fixed grades?

Say it isn't so!

Grade fixing seems to have taken a backseat to other forms of violations in recent years.  But I expect it to make a big comeback, and soon.  Why?  Because of UCONN.

What does UCONN, a basketball team in the defunct Big East, have to do with Auburn football?

UCONN was the test case.  Everyone else was watching while UCONN missed the NCAA's academic targets.  And boy, did the NCAA strike back.  UCONN is currently serving out a post-season ban, and everyone else took note of the Huskies' fate.

What's the best way to avoid a post-season ban for lack of academic progress?  Why, to make academic progress, of course.

But just like with "No child left behind", sometimes the problem isn't the fault of the University or Professors. Sometimes the students, bless them, aren't willing or capable of learning the material.  But the Bowls must go on.  So the players must pass.

Or as Colonel Jessup once said, "you can have all the transfer orders you want."

What incentive does a school like Auburn have to NOT fix grades?

If Auburn doesn't fix grades and their players flunk, the NCAA will ban Auburn from Bowls.

If Auburn fixes grades and the NCAA catches them, the NCAA will penalize Auburn -- maybe banning them from Bowls.

If Auburn fixes grades and doesn't get caught, Auburn will go to Bowls.

Almost every logical scenario of grade fixing works out in Auburn's favor, or at worse, a wash with non-grade fixing.

For Auburn, it doesn't make sense to post honest grades.  It's not good business.

The NCAA is liable to come down harder on Auburn for proven allegations of paying players.  Other than point-shaving, nothing sets the NCAA investigators into a tizzy quicker than players making money.  It's the greatest threat to the organization's well-being.  If enough players get paid, it might start to look like "student-athletes" are really labor.  And the idea of making FICA payments for "student-athletes" probably wakes Mark Emmert up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.

I expect Auburn to get heavily penalize, but not for the grade fixing.  If you want to see the real bite, follow the money trail.