OK State: Allegations 'unfounded'

— -- Oklahoma State was issued a notice of allegations by the NCAA about three possible Level II violations concerning alleged improprieties in the football program, but the school said Tuesday a thorough review by the NCAA and an outside consultant found the allegations "fundamentally unfounded."

Investigators reviewed about 50,000 emails and interviewed nearly 100 individuals involved with Oklahoma State's football program, including current and former coaches, administrators, student-athletes, students and prospects. A few individuals outside the university refused to cooperate.

The allegations were raised in a series of stories in Sports Illustrated in September 2013, alleging several potential NCAA violations. The series did not directly implicate any current coaches or players.

ESPN later discovered, through university documents, multiple inaccuracies with SI's report.

Oklahoma State said it fully cooperated with the NCAA's enforcement staff and participated in the interviews. As a result of the information collected during these joint interviews, the NCAA issued a notice of allegations detailing three possible Level II violations.

After the SI report, Oklahoma State appointed Charles E. Smrt, a former NCAA official, to conduct an internal investigation. In July, an Oklahoma State spokesperson told ESPN that the school's investigation was nearing an end.