The Top 25 College Football Scandals of the Past 25 Years

# The Top 25 College Football Scandals of the Past 25 Years From criminal cases to NCAA infractions and viral dramas, college football has generated some of the most significant firestorms in sports in the past two decades. [Bryan Fischer](/author/bryanfischer)| [Add us on](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=si.com) --- *Welcome to* Sports Illustrated*’s* [*College Football Quarter-Century Week*](https://www.si.com/college-football/sports-illustrated-college-football-quarter-century-week-all-stories)*. We will look back at the past 25 seasons in college football,* [*ranking the top 25 teams*](https://www.si.com/college-football/the-25-best-college-football-teams-of-the-past-25-years)*,* [*quarterbacks*](https://www.si.com/college-football/the-25-best-college-football-quarterbacks-of-the-past-25-years)*,* [*non-QB players*](https://www.si.com/college-football/the-25-best-college-football-non-quarterbacks-of-the-past-25-years)*,* [*coaches*](https://www.si.com/college-football/the-25-best-college-football-coaches-of-the-past-25-years)*,* [*games*](https://www.si.com/college-football/the-top-25-college-football-games-of-the-past-25-years) *and scandals. Up next: The top scandals and controversies from 2000 to present.* ## **1. Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal at Penn State** In many ways, this redefined what truly constitutes a scandal in college athletics given how wide-ranging and horrific Jerry Sandusky’s actions were in State College, Pa. The former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator was convicted on 45 counts of child sexual abuse that covered decades of his tenure. News reports about the discovery of these crimes led to the firings (and in some cases further charges) of several key figures at Penn State from school president Graham Spanier to athletic director Tim Curley. Joe Paterno, who had become the winningest coach in college football history, was fired and saw much of his on-field legacy overshadowed by allowing Sandusky to remain a pa