Ohio State Football: What NCAA Findings About the Buckeyes Really Mean

That sound was the sound of Ohio State fans breathing a huge sigh of relief.

According to The Columbus Dispatch, the NCAA has issued a statement saying that they will not issue new violations from their investigation of the OSU football program.

In addition, they will not levy the dreaded lack of institutional control or failure to monitor tags on Ohio State, as their investigation has determined that former coach Jim Tressel was the sole accomplice in the scandal involving the cover-up of illegal dealings between current players and the owner of a local tattoo parlor.

What does that mean?

Well in the short term, it means Ohio State escapes the types of penalties levied on USC for the moment, unless the NCAA weighs the potential repeat violator rule from a case back in March 2006 involving former OSU basketball coach Jim O'Brien as just as equal as a FTM charge.

Does that mean the NCAA won't punish Ohio State more? Not necessarily.

They can still punish OSU by taking away scholarships or a one-year postseason ban because they haven't levied a punishment for the violation of Rule 10.1, the rule that cost Tressel his job.

But for Ohio State, this is the first bit of good news for the football program in the entire calendar year. 

In other words, this is the first news in seven months that hasn't made Buckeye fans want to tear their hair out.

The university will still meet with the NCAA Committee on Infractions on August 12 to answer questions about the violations that OSU is still charged with.

They won't get away with a slap on the wrist, but whatever the penalty, it certainly could have been much, much worse.

And now, Ohio State can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel that seemed like it would never end.

Without a doubt, this news may be the best thing Ohio State could've hoped for in such a time on uncertainty.

As Sports Illustrated college football columnist Stewart Mandel said via colleague Andy Staples on Twitter, "As my man @slmandel said, don't expect Ohio State to get killed b/c you can't convict someone of murder if you charge them with assault."

While they won't get the chair, Ohio State could still get a little extra on the side.

But Ohio State fans can rejoice for the moment and take some solace because it may not be as bad as they feared it could be.

For more college football news and updates, follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim and visit The BCS Blitz.