Jim Tressel imposed a suspension on himself
Ohio State received a one-year postseason ban for violations that occurred under coach Jim Tressel. Reuters

The NCAA decided to impose a one-year bowl ban, a reduced amount of scholarships, and an additional year of probation on Tuesday on the Ohio State football program.

The NCAA imposed the penalties on the program for Ohio State football players trading memorabilia for free tattoos at a local Columbus tattoo parlor. The information was forwarded to former coach Jim Tressel, but the program didn't self-report the violations, as NCAA rules require.

Tressel was eventually fired by the university for his part in the cover-up, but now faces further penalties from the NCAA. The Indianapolis-based organization issued a show-cause penalty on Tressel -- meaning that any program that wishes to hire him must show why to the NCAA.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith has previously told news outlets that he didn't expect any additional penalties from the NCAA on top of the university's self-imposed penalties, but that clearly proved to be untrue.

The additional penalties, notably the bowl ban, put a damper on the high expectations surrounding Urban Meyer's first year at Ohio State. Meyer has hit the recruiting trail hard -- he recently secured a commitment from highly touted defensive end Noah Spence -- but now must deal with a bowl ban and less scholarships to use.

Interim coach Luke Fickell, who is expected to be the program's defensive coordinator next year, told the Columbus Dispatch that the additional penalties wouldn't hold the program down.

To me it's just another thing, it's just another hurdle, Fickell told the Columbus Dispatch If it happens you have to get over it. What are you going to do, cry and whine about it? We can't do that.

We said that all year, in all the situations we've been put in. Our guys have been through it. They've been battle-tested. You're not going to see us complain and whine about it, we're going to continue to move forward. I think you do that from the top down, and I think when you do that from the top, everybody follows.

In addition to the bowl ban, Ohio State will lose nine scholarships over the next three years and face three years of probation.

Football Ban