Nebraska faced the possibility Tuesday that it might have to give up its Big Eight title.
The Cornhuskers suspended reserve fulback Omar Soto for Wednesday`s Orange Bowl game against Miami and offered to forfeit two Big Eight games in which he played if an investigation determines he was ineligible this year.
By declaring Soto ineligible, Nebraska will forfeit Big Eight victories against Iowa State and Oklahoma. The Cornhuskers are expected to file an appeal with the conference.
Nebraska officials learned Tuesday that Soto participated in a preseason scrimmage against outside competition before enrolling at Mt. San Jacinto
(Calif.) Junior College in 1986. Soto quit the school and then enrolled at Arizona Western Community College, where he played in 1987 and 1988. He redshirted at Nebraska in 1989 and played in 1990 and 1991.
Under NCAA rules, it appears as if this was his fifth season of competition because of the scrimmage at Mt. San Jacinto. While such a scrimmage is allowed under national junior college rules, it constituted use of a year of eligibility under the NCAA rules.
Soto never told Nebraska about his Mt. San Jacinto experience. His JC coach told him that because he didn`t enroll, it wouldn`t go on his record.
Nebraska`s investigation is expected to be completed by Jan. 31 and submitted to the Big Eight Conference. James O`Hanlon, Nebraska`s faculty representative to the Big Eight, said a league decision on an appeal of the forfeits wasn`t expected until a meeting of the faculty representatives in March.
”If an athlete is determined to be ineligible, the team will forfeit those games he played,” said Jeff Bollig, Big Eight services bureau official. Bollig said that Nebraska`s record of 9-1-1 wouldn`t be affected by the forfeiture of the games.
The fullback played in Nebraska`s first three non-conference games, breaking a leg early in the third game against Washington. He returned to play sparingly with one carry for 3 yards against Iowa State Nov. 16 and carried twice for 4 yards in the season finale against Oklahoma on Nov. 29.
