Ohio Lawmakers Push for NCAA Petition to Reinstate Vacated Ohio State Football Wins

Ohio lawmakers are seeking to have Ohio State football's 2010 stats and record reinstated by the NCAA. 

Per Mary Jane Sanese of the Columbus Dispatch, Rep. Brian Stewart sponsored the resolution that would officially recognize the Buckeyes' accomplishments from the season that was wiped out of the NCAA record books following the "tattoogate" scandal.

"This resolution does not say anything about the sanctions," Stewart told The Dispatch. "This resolution says enough is enough. The NCAA's view of what is permissible for players has changed drastically in the last twelve years."

Athletic director Gene Smith announced in July 2011 that Ohio State was vacating each of its 12 wins from the previous year, including the Big Ten championship and a 31-26 victory over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. 

An investigation found players on the team traded autographs and memorabilia for cash and tattoos. Head coach Jim Tressel was found to have discovered in April 2010 that his players were receiving impermissible benefits from the owner of a tattoo parlor, but he didn't report it to anyone at the university for more than nine months. 

The initial discipline, announced in December 2010, resulted in five players—Terrelle Pryor, Devier Posey, Mike Adams, Solomon Thomas, and Boom Herron—being suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season. They were allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl against Arkansas. 

In April 2011, the NCAA sent Ohio State a notice of allegations that accused Tressel of withholding information and other infractions that constituted "potential major violations."

Tressel resigned as Buckeyes head coach on May 30, 2011. 

When the NCAA adopted new name, image and likeness rules for student-athletes last year, the five Ohio State players who were involved in the 2010 scandal issued a statement asking to have their records reinstated:

The NCAA issued a statement in response, saying "previous penalties, including those that are several years old, will not be re-evaluated or reconsidered based on the recent changes to NIL rules."

Speaking to Sanese, Stewart cited the NCAA's decision to reinstate 111 wins from 1998-2011 for former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno that were vacated in 2012 stemming from the Jerry Sandusky scandal as precedent. 

The Buckeyes' record from the 2010 season is officially recognized as 0-1 from their 31-18 loss against Wisconsin.