LSU Football Self-Imposes One-Year Postseason Ban

LSU notified the NCAA and SEC that it is self-imposing a "one-year postseason ban on its football program for the 2020-21 bowl season," the school's athletic department announced Wednesday.

The department said it came to this decision after reviewing the NCAA rules violations discovered during an NCAA and IARP investigation. 

"I respect the university’s decision to proactively address NCAA issues from the past," head coach Ed Orgeron said in a statement.

This joins the long list of self-imposing penalties the program has already adopted, including a reduction of eight scholarships and a two-year disassociation from receiver Odell Beckham Jr., according to Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger and Pat Forde. They will forfeit four scholarships in each of the next two years.

The incoming class of 2021 was not affected by these penalties. 

"The penalties will not impact the team’s ability to sign the maximum of 25 newcomers a year," Dellenger and Forde wrote. "Recruiting reductions include the elimination of 12.5% of official and unofficial visits, a 21-day reduction of the normal 168 days of allowable off-campus contacts and a six-week ban in communication with prospects."

The investigation, which had been on-going for two years, has been reportedly looking into improper booster payments made to a former football player's family, according to Dellenger and Forde, as well when Beckham was seen handing players money following LSU's national championship victory last season over Clemson.

In late August, the NCAA submitted both the football and basketball investigations to the IARP for review. While the football investigation is completed, the basketball one is reportedly still ongoing.

The school is also going through another investigation, this one conducted by a law firm to determine whether the school mishandled domestic and sexual violence complaints, notably against players on its football team. According to a USA Today article, "at least nine LSU football players have been reported to police for sexual misconduct and dating violence since coach Orgeron took over the team four years ago." LSU reportedly gave 60 files to Husch Blackwell, the law firm that was hired to oversee the investigation. 

LSU football is currently 3–5 and this weekend will face No. 6 Florida, which is headed to the SEC Championship.