The University of Tennessee chancellor ripped the NCAA president in a scathing letter released Tuesday that said the “failing” organization is pursuing “factually untrue and procedurally flawed” allegations the school violated rules for name, image and likeness compensation compensation to athletes.

The NCAA has fined Tennessee more than $8 million and issued a scathing report outlining more than 200 infractions during the three-year tenure of former football coach Jeremy Pruitt.

The Tennessee Volunteers are proving just how quickly a traditional powerhouse can rebound despite seeming lost for well over a decade.

The NCAA has charged Tennessee with 18 recruiting violations involving allegations of impermissible cash, gifts and benefits given under former football coach Jeremy Pruitt.

The rich got even richer in the Southeastern Conference when the transfer floodgates opened wide.

New Tennessee NCAA college football head coach Josh Heupel, left, shakes hands with University of Tennessee athletics director Danny White after being presented a jersey speaks during an introductory press conference at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. If anything, I was trying not to hire the coach from UCF.”White hired Heupel on Wednesday as Tennessee's 27th head coach and fifth coach, not counting interim or acting coaches, since the end of the 2008 season. Heupel said he wasn't deterred by the NCAA investigation that started with the firing of Tennessee's last coach, Jeremy Pruitt. “I believe in a very, very bright future for Tennessee football,” Heupel said. White was hired on Jan. 21 and his first job was to find a new coach.

FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2019, file photo, Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt yells at the officials during an NCAA college football game against Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Tennessee fired Pruitt Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. “While the investigation is continuing the information provided to us indicates serious violations of NCAA rules,” Plowman said. The chancellor said the potential NCAA issues involved Level I and II violations with a number of people and incidents. Fulmer, 70, will be retiring, and Tennessee is retaining Parker Executive Search to help hire a new athletic director. Pruitt ends a tenure that started after a tumultuous coaching search highlighted by Tennessee replacing John Currie as athletic director with Fulmer.

(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)Steve Sarkisian is the latest Alabama coordinator to be drawing up game plans for a national title showdown before leaving for a new head coaching job. The Longhorns fired Tom Herman and hired Sarkisian eight days before the national championship game Monday night against No. The difference this time is the accelerated time frame from Sarkisian’s hiring to the title game. Alabama beat Oklahoma in the semifinals before a 44-16 loss to Clemson in the national title game. Nearly a month passed from his hiring to the January 2012 title game rematch against LSU, which ’Bama won 21-0.

When that bowl game was called off because there was not another team available, it suddenly left Army looking for a postseason opponent. A spot in the Liberty Bowl became available Monday when Tennessee became the first team to back out since bowl berths were announced. The change to its Liberty Bowl opponent was no problem for West Virginia (5-4). “Our team deserves to be in a bowl and so does the 9-2 Army squad,” West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons said. Frankly, I think we were stunned to find out the opportunity would be in a bowl like the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

5 Texas A&M to close its case for a spot in the College Football Playoff with a 34-13 victory over Tennessee. 5 CFP) finished their regular season and hoped for an upset or two within the CFP’s top four. Texas A&M's advantage went to 17-7 when the Aggies turned a Bailey fumble into a 23-yard field goal by Seth Small. Tennessee: After the second game of the season, the Vols were tied with Notre Dame for the longest winning streak among FBS teams. A victory over winless Vanderbilt ended the skid, but the loss to Texas A&M ended the regular season on a sour note.

Kyle Trask threw for 433 yards and four touchdowns, and the Gators beat Tennessee 31-19 on Saturday to clinch a spot in the SEC championship game. “It felt like they threw on every snap.”Playing with a depleted roster, Tennessee (2-6) dropped its sixth consecutive game. Florida stretched a 10-point halftime advantage to 24-7 with a 75-yard drive capped by an 8-yard pass from Trask to Trevon Grimes. “I think they did a great job — Tennessee — throughout the game of giving us some different looks," Trask said. The Tennessee defense stiffened and forced the Gators into a field goal attempt from 53 yards.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields throws a pass against Indiana during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. 3 Ohio State is playing as much as who will be play playing for the Buckeyes this weekend. Ohio State seems to be on track to play at Michigan State on Saturday after a spike in COVID-19 cases in the program forced a cancellation of last week's road trip to Illinois. If Ohio State has one more game canceled it would be unable to meet the Big Ten's minimum game played to be eligible for the conference title game. UNDER THE RADARNebraska at PurdueNeither team is in the Big West race, but the interesting thing is the Boilermakers (2-3) have won two straight against the Cornhuskers (1-4).

(AP Photo/Thomas Graning)The Southeastern Conference has had to postpone two games in the last three days because of positive COVID-19 tests. Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason is going through a similar situation. To play, the SEC requires at least 53 on game days. Timing is critical depending on the day of the week a positive test or tracing result returns. “Every time you’re taking a test," Mason said, “you're crossing your fingers ... you don't have anybody in harm's way."

Bouncing back from a goal-line stand at the end of the the first half, the No. “They really outplayed us in the second half,” coach Jeremy Pruitt said. All those good feelings evaporated when Tennessee turned it over on its first two possessions of the second half. Tennessee's defense held Georgia to a pair of field goals after those miscues, but the Vols offense just couldn't get anything going. SILLY MISTAKESWhile it didn't matter in the end, Georgia made plenty of mistakes that irritated Smart.

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)NORMAN, Okla. College athletes across the country added their voices to those calling for an end to racial injustice riday with football players and others marching on campus or stepping away from practices to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. The problems out there are real, said Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, who led the march and spoke at the event. This shouldnt be a troubling time for college-age persons.Members of the Baylor football team marched around campus Friday. The Ole Miss football team decided not to take to the practice field Friday after a similar demonstration a day earlier at Mississippi State. Football coach Jeremy Pruitt moved practice so his players could attend.

LINE: Tennessee -11.5Guarantano underwent surgery on his hand but is expected to be ready by Saturday for Tennessee, which topped 30 points for just the second time in eight games this season. UAB ranks fifth in FBS in total defense (248.6 yards allowed per game) and has yet to surrender more than 20 points in a game this season. Junior linebacker Kristopher Moll ranks second in Conference USA with nine tackles per game and also has recorded 4 1/2 sacks. The Volunteers lead the SEC and rank second nationally in punt return average at 23 yards per attempt. PREDICTION: Tennessee 34, UAB 14

LINE: Mississippi State -7"We have a starter in mind right now," Moorhead told reporters "That doesn't preclude both from playing, either in separate series or both playing at the same time, either. ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (3-2, 1-1 SEC)Stevens (63.8 percent completion rate on 58 attempts, five touchdowns, two interceptions) enjoys a statistical advantage over Shrader (58.8 percent, 68 attempts, two TDs, one INT). Tennessee defeated Auburn 30-24 last season and is trying for back-to-back wins over an SEC West opponent for the first time since 2007-08. Hill, who has four 100-yard rushing games this season, also leads the SEC in yards after contact with 344. PREDICTION: Mississippi State 31, Tennessee 23More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers looks to pass during a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee is 38-2-2 all-time against Chattanooga, which is coming off a 41-20 loss at Jacksonville State after knocking off Eastern Illinois 24-10 in its season opener. Volunteers WR Jauan Jennings, who had two TD receptions last week, needs two catches to reach 100 for his career. Tennessee on Wednesday reinstated CB Bryce Thompson, who was suspended on Aug. 24 following his arrest on a misdemeanor domestic assault charge. PREDICTION: Tennessee 37, Chattanooga 13More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers looks to pass during a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. "Obviously, Zach Wilson made some mistakes and he'd like to take some of them back," BYU coach Kalani Sitake. Tennessee LB Henry To'o is the first true freshman to lead the team in tackles (seven) in a season opener since 1996. BYU TE Matt Bushman led the team with six catches for 62 yards in the opener. PREDICTION: Tennessee 23, BYU 20More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers looks to pass during a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Pruitt expects bigger things in Year 2 at Tennessee, which opens the season against visiting Georgia State on Saturday afternoon. "Don't look at Tennessee as Tennessee, the reputation and traditions; we gotta look at them as they are right now," Elliott said. Georgia State is 0-10 versus Power Five teams, including a 51-13 loss at Tennessee in 2012. PREDICTION: Tennessee 41, Georgia State 18More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.