Auburn's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Cam Newton remains eligible and keeps his award because the NCAA determined his father, Cecil Newton, acted alone in shopping his son to a number of schools before ultimately choosing Auburn.

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo is suspended one game for employing someone at a camp who at some point had direct contact with a recruit - but not at the camp.

Now-Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari is free to go from school to school with no consequences even though each school he leaves always ends up facing sanctions.

Five Ohio State football players, including three starters, must sit out the team's first five games next season after it was discovered they sold awards, gifts and university apparel and received improper benefits in 2009. A sixth football student-athlete must sit out the first game in 2011 for receiving discounted services in violation of NCAA rules. If the suspension is upheld, Pryor's first game will be Oct. 8 against Nebraska.

NCAA makes rules as it goes
The NCAA says the players - Mike Adams, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Terrelle Pryor, Solomon Thomas and Jordan Whiting can still play Jan. 4 in the Sugar Bowl because of "inadequate rules education." Ohio State's first five games next year are against Akron, Toledo, at Miami (Fl.), Colorado and Michigan State.

The violations fall under the NCAA’s preferential treatment bylaws. They should fall under the NCAA's "We throw the hammer down when we want" bylaws.

The hypocrisy of the NCAA is astounding. How can that group even have a shred of credibility after it basically makes up rules as the situation allows?

The OSU players said the money earned from selling the items - Big Ten championship rings, jerseys, etc. - went to help their families. That's debatable, of course. What isn't debatable, though, is the lack of consistency in the NCAA rules.

In the case of Newton, all he needed to do was play dumb to maintain his eligibility. How stupid must Reggie Bush feel after he "voluntarily" returned his 2005 award? And why don't all these Buckeye players just say "My parents sold those things without my knowledge" so they, too, can maintain their eligibility?

The NCAA is displaying hypocrisy of the highest order.

"You can prostitute out your son to a bunch of schools. We'll let that go. You can be a certified dirtbag. We'll let that go. But don't do what all other celebrities do and use your name to get free stuff. We'll kill you for that."

If Ohio State is smart, it will look into similar occurrences and fight the ruling.

In 2002, a group of Georgia players sold SEC championship rings and was initially disciplined. But the NCAA didn't uphold suspensions because a rule on selling memorabilia wasn't clear.

Athletes are exploited
Money will always be an issue for college athletes. In the two biggest revenue-generating sports (basketball, football), most of the players come from nothing. That isn't to say they can use their families economic situation to break rules. But I sometimes understand why they do it.

Imagine walking around on a beautiful campus seeing people wearing a jersey featuring the number you wear as big as day on the front. Imagine playing in a stadium 7-8 times a fall in front of 112,000 people who came to see you. Then imagine not having money to take a girl out to dinner. Or not having enough cash to go in on a pizza with some of your boys.

At some point, you would think, "This school is making a mint off me. And I can't even take my girl out?"

The NCAA and these institutions can get rich off these kids and the kids get nothing. I hate the argument about the "student-athletes" getting a scholarship. The scholarship is great. I would have given anything to have had all my schooling paid for. But it'd also be great if all the athletes did something with those degree, like graduate. The whole concept of the student-athlete is a joke, but that's another issue.

Schools give out scholarships to science majors, too. And those science majors are allowed to work and take whatever they want from whoever they want. Both the athlete and the academic have to keep a certain grade-point average. And the academic has to keep a substantially higher GPA, I know. But the school isn't making millions off the academic. And 112,000 people aren't paying $50 a ticket to see the science major do a chemistry experiment.

Think about this: Ohio State annually brings in $20 million on tickets sales alone. But Pryor can't sell a ring given to him to, allegedly, help his mother out? How is that fair? How is it right some OSU players, allegedly, swapped autographs for tattoos that probably cost no more than $150, but those same players can take $500 worth of schwag from the sponsor of whatever bowl game they're in?

Reggie Bush made USC millions. The school wants nothing to do with him. But his coach, who likely knew about everything going on, is free to take any job he likes.

Chris Webber did the same for the University of Michigan, but he can't go on campus or even donate money for a few more years. I still see "MICHIGAN 4" jerseys every now and then. So what if there's no name on back. Had Rob Pelinka been No. 4, how many of those jerseys would the NCAA and school have sold?

Stipends may be the answer
With the Newton ruling, the NCAA may have opened Pandora's Box. Language in the rules should be revisited ASAP, or you'll have every recruit in the country on the take. What makes the Ohio State case even worse is the NCAA wants to punish these students when it doesn't cost the NCAA a dime. I could've sworn we lived in a capitalist society. Or am I wrong.

That capitalism may only be set up to benefit a few, though, since all the OSU players will be on the field for the team's bowl game against Arkansas. That's all about money, too. No way the NCAA and ESPN were going to risk the loss of ad revenue by not having Pryor on the field. But who cares about some early September game against Akron on the Big Ten Network, right? Again, it's perfectly acceptable for the NCAA and TV networks to line their pockets. But curse the kids who tries to make a few dollars!!!

A much simpler way to attempt to fix the problem is paying college athletes. Most of the cases have the players taking small amounts, anyway. Why not just pay them (olympic sport athletes included) a stipend each semester of, say, $1,500-$3,000? All they want the money for is a pair of sneakers and maybe to take a girl to see a movie.

A university typically has about 500 athletes. Let's say OSU paid all 500 $2,000 each semester. That would only add up to the school spending about $2,000,000 each year (Remember, OSU makes $20 million a year in ticket sales alone). I know there would be some players who wouldn't think that amount would suffice. Throw the book at those guys. But I'm inclined to believe those greedy players would think a little harder about the decision they make if they know it can kill long-term prospects.

To take it a step further, athletes who are "the face of a team," such as Pryor, should get royalties from jersey sales. Why should people who already have money be allowed to get richer, while these players are held back. Sure, Pryor could make millions in the NFL, but there's no guarantee of that.

Realistically, the only way to put a stop to all this is if someone successfully sues the NCAA. But how long would that court case last? Years.

Hypocrisy of the higher order. That's what the NCAA exhibits time and time again.

I guess I'm no better. Here I am calling the group to the carpet, yet I'm infatuated with the product they put out.

If the NCAA can ride both sides of the fence, so can I.

The last time MSU played Ohio State, then-true freshman Terrell Pryor looked like a combination of Randall Cunningham and Doug Williams, as the Buckeyes had their way with the Spartans on their way to a 42-7 smashing.

After several prayers, somehow, Ohio State came off MSU's schedule for two years. That will prove to be crucial this season and is one of four reasons I see the Spartans playing in the 2011 Rose Bowl.

No Ohio State on the schedule is good for MSU

The Spartans for the second straight year avoid the Big Ten’s Team of the Decade: the Ohio State Buckeyes.

How this happened, I don’t know. But I’m as thankful for it as washed-up stars are for reality show checks. Had OSU been on MSU’s schedule last season instead of, say, Purdue, the Spartans go 5-7 and don’t get those extra practices leading up to the Alamo Bowl.

Not playing the Bucks this season is a Godsend for an entirely different reason — its the difference between finishing 9-3 and having a good season and going 10-2 and possibly having a special season.

Make no mistake: Ohio State will win its record sixth straight Big Ten title this season. But the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes will be playing for a much bigger prize than the Rose Bowl trophy. I see Ohio State going undefeated and winning the BCS National Title — partly because I think they’re that good and partly because I don’t think they’ face off with an SEC team in the title game. The Bucks return all their playmakers on offense and feature one of the best, most experienced offensive lines in the country. Add that to a defense littered with NFL prospects and you have the recipe for a national title win.

OSU getting to the title game leaves the door open for the Rose Bowl to select a second Big Ten team, which I believe (Seriously, I do. Stop laughing!) will be the Spartans. That would send MSU to its first Rose Bowl game since 1988, where it beat USC, 20-17. How long ago was that? Michael Jackson bought the “Neverland” ranch that year; “Rain Man” was the top grossing film at the box office; Nintendo released “Super Mario Bros. 3,” which I still have yet to beat; and Milli Vanilli was formed.

One thing not in MSU’s, or any other Big Ten team’s favor, is a new BCS rule going into effect this season that states the Rose Bowl must take a non-BCS team this year (most likely, preseason No. 3 Boise State) if one is eligible and the Rose loses one of its conference anchors. For that to happen, one or both of the anchors (Pac-10/Big Ten) would have to play in the BCS championship game.

I don’t see that happening, though. I think Boise State will lose its marquee game Monday against Virginia Tech. That loss would likely knock the Broncos out of the top 10. With its schedule, it would be next to impossible for Boise to end up in the top two at the end of the season.

With that, I'm picking MSU and Oregon State to meet in Pasadena on New Year's Day.

It’s our turn. We're next in line.

Since State’s last Rose Bowl appearance, eight Big Ten teams have appeared in the “Granddaddy of them All” — Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin.

That says a lot more about how awful MSU has been over the last 20-plus seasons than it does about the depth of the Big Ten.

But it’s our time. It has to happen this year.

One of the reasons I’m so confident about this prediction is because of one of the most undervalued units in college football.

Part III coming tomorrow

My boys and I every summer have a night where we decide to set the win totals of our favorite teams.

The best part about the whole process is it usually takes place about the time a White Castle tastes like a filet, which makes for some interesting predictions and discussion.

Last year, everybody was saying Michigan State, our alma mater, would win nine or 10 games. Everybody called me crazy for saying we'd top out at seven wins. State finished 6-7.

This year, I've hopped over to the other side of the fence. And this year, people are saying I'm as crazy as Kourtney Kardashian's baby daddy.

That's because I think MSU is going to be playing in Pasadena on New Year's Day 2011. Yes, I have my reasons. and, no, I haven't been hanging out with Paris Hilton.

Please, if you're gonna laugh, wait until the end.

Schedule plays into MSU’s hands
As a Spartan alum, I know MSU football handles prosperity as well as Lindsay Lohan, but the Spartans would have to quit at various points in the season to not win at least nine games. That or run awry of some frat boys.

Of the 12 games on MSU’s slate, seven are at Spartan Stadium against perennial powers such as Western Michigan (Sept. 4), Northern Colorado (Sept. 25) and Minnesota — a team many have picked to finish dead last in the Big Ten this season (Nov. 6).

The rest of the “home” slate includes Florida Atlantic Sept. 11 (I don’t care if the game is at Ford Field and is supposed to be a home game for FAU. It’s a home game for MSU, even if the Owls will recoup the gate), Notre Dame (Sept. 19), Wisconsin (Oct. 2), Illinois for Homecoming (Oct. 16), and Purdue (Nov. 20).

The only real toughie in the Spartans first eight games should come when the Badgers, ranked No. 12 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today coaches polls, travel to East Lansing. It’ll be Wisconsin’s first test after games at UNLV, and home against San Jose State, Arizona State and Austin Peay. Seriously. Who makes these non-conference schedules? Duncan Hines?

While the Badgers will be a top-20 team all season, the first game in a hostile environment could have Wisconsin rattled, enabling MSU to eek out a win.

On top of that, the Spartans don’t even leave the state of Michigan until Oct. 23 when they travel to Northwestern, where MSU has won two straight and lead the all-time series, 34-16.

The remainder of the Spartans’ road slate consists of on Oct. 9 going to Ann Arbor to face a Michigan team that may have quit on John L. Rodriguez by then, No. 9/10 Iowa on Devil’s Night and at a play MSU never wins — Nov. 27 in Happy Valley against No. 19/14 Penn State.

Rivalry games against Notre Dame and at The Out House will naturally provide tests for the Spartans, but Notre Dame implementing a new scheme that includes a no-huddle offense and the loss of several players slated to make an impact this season for Michigan in its secondary should prove too much for those squads to overcome. Both games will be shootouts, but I think the overall experience of MSU’s personnel will be the difference.

With a schedule as strong as Michelle Pfeiffer’s eggs in “Scarface,” MSU has a realistic shot at starting 8-0 going into November. Cold-weather home wins against the Gophers and Boilermakers should be a given at that point in the season — if the Spartans are for real. So going 1-2 against Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions would put MSU at 10-2, 6-2 in the Big Ten. It's not out of the realm of possibility that MSU could win two of those three games, since Wisconsin is at home and I don't think Penn State will be any good this season. And I say that knowing we win in Happy Valley as often as Charles Barkley refuses a second Krispy Kreme.

That 10-2 finish would give the Spartans their best record since they finished 10-2 following the 1999 season. It could also likely put them in some sort of tie with Iowa and/or Wisconsin for second place in the conference.

Winning that tiebreaker would be crucial for any of those three teams because that second-place finish would send them to Pasadena and the 2011 Rose Bowl (I’ll get to who’ll win the Big Ten later).

I think MSU has the best shot to win that tiebreaker for one huge reason other than its creampuff schedule.

Part II coming tomorrow