The end of last month brought with it the news from the NCAA that Central Florida would be hit with a number of sanctions for impermissible recruiting violations.
Among the sanctions the program faces include a one-year postseason ban, as well as a reduction of five initial (from 25 maximum) and five total (from 85 maximum) football scholarships for three academic years, plus other recruiting restrictions.
The school has decided it will request an expedited appeal for the postseason ban, per the Associated Press.
“This is the correct decision for our student-athletes, athletics program and university,” UCF spokesman Grant Heston said in a statement to the AP. “We have cooperated with and respect the NCAA, but believe the football postseason ban is not appropriate.”
The school has accepted all other sanctions, but wants the postseason appeal figured out before the end of the 2012 season. In the event the matter is not settled by then, UCF would serve the ban following the 2013 season -- which coincidentally will be the last year where conferences have automatic qualifier status (UCF joins the Big East in 2013).
Given that the school received the “Lack of Institutional Control” citation and is recently coming off probation from previous violations, one could reasonably assume this appeal isn’t going to go UCF’s way.