Ohio State has decided that they will donate the money they earned from their vacated Sugar Bowl appearance to charities, OSU spokesperson Jim Lynch said Monday.
Gene Smith announced Friday in Indianapolis that the university would forfeit its share of the Big Ten’s Sugar Bowl money.
Smith said this, along with vacating 2010 wins and the Sugar Bowl wins, was a part of their self-imposed penalties for the off-the-field scandal leading to the forced resignation of former head coach Jim Tressel.
OSU’s share of the money was $338,811. Lynch said that Smith had expressed interest in donating the money to charities. Lynch also said that there was no set plan for the distribution of the money.
On Friday, OSU officials met with the NCAA Committee on Infractions to discuss penalties for its NCAA violations. Smith said they can expect a ruling from the NCAA in the next eight to 12 weeks.
Four OSU football players — DeVier Posey, Mike Adams, Dan Herron and Solomon Thomas — are suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season after selling Buckeye football memorabilia in exchange for improper benefits in the form of tattoos. Linebacker Jordan Whiting received a one-game ban.
Former OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor had also received a five-game suspension before departing the university on June 7 to pursue a professional career.
Tressel resigned from his role as head football coach on May 30 after failing to report the violations and former linebacker coach Luke Fickell took over the position.
The Buckeyes begin their season on Sept. 3 against Akron in Columbus, Ohio.
