With the announcement of NCAA sanctions against Alabama, the number of Division I-A football schools on probation reached eight. The Tide's penalties are the most severe in terms of scholarships lost and a postseason ban.

A breakdown:

Alabama

Probation period: Feb. 1, 2002 to Jan. 31, 2007

Summary: Major recruiting violations centered around the allegation that booster Logan Young had brokered former recruit Albert Means' delivery to Alabama for the price of $115,000.

Major penalties: Alabama banned from the postseason for two years; initial scholarships reduced by 21 over three years -- from 25 to 17 in 2002-03, and then 18 and 19 in subsequent years.

Kentucky

Probation period: Jan. 31, 2001 to Jan. 30, 2005

Summary: NCAA found wide-ranging recruiting violations, starting with former recruiting coordinator Claude Bassett. The NCAA said Bassett collected donations for player, and arranged for free lodging for recruits and families.

Major penalties: Loss of 19 scholarships over a three-year period. Postseason ban in 2002.

Marshall

Probation period: Dec. 21, 2001 to Dec. 20, 2005

Summary: NCAA ruled that the school found impermissible employment for academic non-qualifiers at rates four times the prevailing wage, plus other academic fraud and lack of institutional control.

Major penalties: Reduction in the number of initial scholarships, from 25 to 20, in the next three academic years.

Southern California

Probation period: Aug. 23, 2001 to Aug. 22, 2003

Summary: In three instances, from summer of 1996 to spring of 1998, employees of the university's Student Athlete Academic Services substantially composed academic papers for three student-athletes and misrepresented their role in preparing the papers.

Major penalties: Overall scholarship limit reduced from 85 to 83 in 2002-03 academic year.

SMU

Probation period: Dec. 13, 2000 to Dec. 12, 2002

Summary: Defensive line coach Steve Malin was accused of arranging to pay a student to take the ACT exam so a freshman recruit could attend SMU in the 1998 school year. He also allegedly had improper contact with other athletes and offered improper inducements totaling $650 in four years.

Major penalties: On-campus recruiting visits reduced from 56 to 38 for the 2001-02 academic year; one less coach allowed to recruit for one year.

Texas El-Paso

Probation period: May. 1, 1997 to April 30, 2002

Summary: Lack of institutional control allowed 27 student-athletes to compete despite being enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours. Other citations included improper financial aid to two football players, even though they failed to meet NCAA academic eligibility requirements.

Major penalties: Reduction of 10 initial scholarships over a three-year period, from the 1997-98 to 1999-2000 academic years.

Texas Tech

Probation period: April 24, 1998 to April 23, 2002

Summary: Among its findings, the NCAA cited lack of institutional control in allowing 76 ineligible student-athletes to compete in eight sports over several years.

Major penalties: Texas Tech self-imposed a ban from the 1997 postseason; loss of 18 initial football scholarships from 1998-2000; limit of 80 team scholarships in the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 academic years.

Wisconsin

Probation period: Oct. 1, 2001 to Sept. 30, 2006

Summary: NCAA found that more than 150 athletes in 14 sports received unadvertised discounts at a local shoe store.

Major penalties: Reduction in initial football scholarships, from 25 to 20, during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 school years.