Ole Miss Rebels will appeal NCAA punishment

The University of Mississippi has filed an appeal on the decision to ban the football program from postseason play in 2018, limit unofficial recruiting visits and cite the school for lack of institutional control in a case involving 21 violations.

The NCAA announced the sanctions in December after a lengthy investigation, saying the lack of institutional control went back decades, and charged that Rebel Rags, an Oxford-based retail store, provided free merchandise to recruits and family members.

Among the cases cited were incidents dating from 1986 and 1994.

The Ole Miss appeal reads in part: "This Committee should vacate and reverse the penalties and factual findings because the COI abused its discretion, departed from precedent, committed procedural errors, and reached factual conclusions inconsistent with the evidence."

The school self-imposed a bowl ban for 2017, fired two assistant coaches and disassociated itself from nine boosters before the NCAA added its penalties.

Rebels coach Hugh Freeze was fired in July for inappropriate conduct, not directly related to NCAA violations. Matt Luke was named interim head coach and had the interim tag removed after guiding the Rebels to a 6-6 season.