They would've been better off voluntarily taking the Death Penalty starting with the 2013 season, for two years. Everyone keeps talking about how it destoryed SMU and that they haven't been the same since. Really? Think about it. The only reason why SMU was so â€good†in the first place was due to cheating, what were they before the cheating started? Texas & Texas A&M's bitch that's what (this was because UT & A&M were cheating first, along with OU...but that's beside the point). The point is, SMU went back to what they were before the cheating started, which is what was suppose to happen.
The Old Death Penalty would be devastating, just like this will be (PSU will become a D I-AA University starting with the 2013 season, their max scholarship numbers? 63...two shy of PSU's 65 starting with the '13 season)...also, they can only bring in 15 total (provided that the number they bring in isn't more than their 65 limit).
AND....this will continue for FOUR YEARS. Multiply that by 2 maybe 3, that's how long it'll take to fully recover, if it ever does.