The official results of the NCAA's USC investigation are finally out, and it's a doozy. USC didn't just get the hammer dropped on it; it got a train dropped on it:
The penalties are worse: a two-year bowl ban for USC, the loss of 30 scholarships (15 max, but at least 10 each year over three years,) the prohibition of any non-university affiliated personnel from the sideline, locker room, and road trips, and four years’ probation as a repeat offender.
Also: the wins in the 2004 National Championship Game and all of 2005 are now vacated (but not forfeited), the school must pay a $5000 fine, and give up the $206,200 it made from the NCAA tournament during O.J. Mayo's 2008 trip.
This is worse than the two-year bowl ban and 20 scholarship losses Alabama got for the Albert Means case, the last time the NCAA really brought out its whoopin' stick. I think a lot of people expected USC's penalties to approach Bama's, but this goes much farther.
More quotage:
[The NCAA found] a lack of institutional control, impermissible inducements, extra benefits, exceeding coach staff limits, and unethical conduct by an assistant football coach.
The assistant coach in question is Todd McNair, who the NCAA found had knowledge of Reggie Bush's transgressions but never reported them. That, more than anything, is why USC is getting this stiff a penalty. Furthermore, among many other things, USC must disassociate itself with Bush, Mayo, and Rodney Guillory.
USC will appeal the football penalties.
UPDATE
USC apparently "barely" missed a TV ban, a penalty that hasn't been used in decades. The actual penalties are as stiff as they are because the wrongdoing helped recruiting. Also, here's the full report.
UPDATE 2
From the report, regarding TV bans:
The committee seriously considered the imposition of a television ban as a penalty in this case. After lengthy discussion, the committee ultimately decided that the imposition of other significant penalties, as set forth here, adequately responded to the nature of the violations found in this case and the level of institutional responsibility. Therefore, a television ban need not be imposed. The committee notes, however, that the television ban is a penalty designed in part to ameliorate extensive and positive media and public attention gained by a program through commission of violations. The committee also notes that the decision in this case not to impose the penalty was a very close call. All student-athletes, coaches, administrators, boosters and agents must understand that violations of NCAA rules have severe consequences.
UPDATE 3
The BCS says it's going to meet about the 2004 national title, but that if USC doesn't keep it, it will be vacated. Sorry, Auburn.