Ole Miss appeals NCAA punishment, citing abuse of discretion

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:00 p.m. ET

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) Mississippi filed its appeal Thursday of the NCAA committee on infractions' decision to ban the football program from the postseason in 2018, limit unofficial recruiting visits and cite the school for lack institutional control in a case involving 21 violations.

The NCAA committee handed down its decision in December after a lengthy investigation.

The school said the committee "should vacate and reverse the penalties and factual findings because the COI abused its discretion, departed from precedent, committed procedural errors, and reached factual conclusions inconsistent with the evidence."

Ole Miss had already self-imposed a bowl ban for 2017, let go of two assistants and disassociated with nine boosters before the NCAA added its penalties.

Rebels coach Hugh Freeze was fired in July for inappropriate conduct, not directly related to NCAA violations.

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