Florida State University is expected to suspend at least 12 players and possibly up to 20 players as a result of an academic misconduct case involving a former tutor and student-athletes. ESPN reported Tuesday morning 20 players would be suspended while the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper reported at least 12 players might face suspension though nothing has officially been confirmed.
The Seminoles are +3.0 point underdogs (Sportsbook.com) to the Kentucky Wildcats for the Dec. 31 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl. This line will be affected due to the suspensions once they are handed out.
"This is a great time to lay a bet on Kentucky," said Point-Spreads.com handicapper Reno Goldberg. "These suspensions will provide great betting value on the Wildcats…especially if the ESPN report of 20 suspensions holds true."
"You'd like to find out," FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher said to the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper. "We're kind of blind in this as far as all the details of everything until they get it all sorted out. Dealing with the NCAA, it's a hairy deal."
At least 12 players are believed to have game-eligibility concerns.
Fisher ruled out filling any gaps caused by suspensions with players who have been sitting out this season as red-shirts.
"I think that's unfair to him," Fisher said. "One football game is not worth a whole year in a guy's future."
In a Tuesday morning ESPN report, the investigation already has led to the resignations of two academic assistance employees who worked with FSU student-athletes. The school revealed in September that as many as 23 student-athletes were given answers before taking tests over the Internet.
Further investigations revealed additional student-athletes were involved in the cheating, according to the source.
The school's investigation found that a tutor gave students answers while they were taking tests and filled in answers on quizzes and typed papers for students.
Florida State president T.K. Wetherell, a former Seminoles football player, reported the initial findings in a letter to the NCAA in September.
