So much for the Cam Newton Auburn love fest. The Heisman Trophy favorite is being investigated by the NCAA for possibly accepting illegal benefits during his recruitment. Word of the report was first passed along by Bryan Fischer on twitter, and then it was confirmed by Pete Thamel of the New York Times.
Newton, currently the star quarterback at Auburn, left Florida after getting into trouble for stealing a laptop and went to Blinn College. After having success at Blinn and winning a national championship, Newton was heavily recruited by SEC teams once again. He wound up going to Auburn over Mississippi State and has led them to a 9-0 season and number two ranking in the BCS Standings. A report from ESPN says Mississippi State told the SEC that a man who claimed to represent Newton said MSU could have him for $180,000. The implication is that Auburn at least matched the price tag during their recruitment of the QB.
Auburn is home against Chatanooga this weekend and Newton is currently eligible but there’s no word on his status for the game. With his situation under investigation, Auburn might not want to have Newton play until he is officially cleared from wrongdoing. Any wins they achieve while he was deemed ineligible can be forfeited retroactively. You can bet Bama fans are having a ball over this news.
