NCAA Rules Dez Bryant Out for Season

It seemed a little harsh Monday when Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy told reporters "I think everybody has given up," when asked about the chances of All-American receiver Dez Bryant coming off indefinite suspension.

As it turned out, Gundy was more prophetic than pessimistic.

The NCAA officially ended the junior wide receiver's season Tuesday night, refusing to reinstate his eligibility until Sept. 2010 after Bryant misled investigators his interaction with former NFL star Deion Sanders.

Oklahoma State is appealing the decision.

Bryant, a junior, was placed on indefinite suspension by the university the prior to the Sept. 26 game against Grambling State and has missed the Cowboys' last four games. The NCAA then ruled him ineligible Oct. 7. Under the NCAA suspension, Bryant will not be able to return to the field until Sept. 2010.

But as one of the top receiver prospects in the country and a possible first round pick in next spring's NFL draft, it's likely Bryant has played his final game for the Cowboys.

Oklahoma State announced in a release Tuesday night that it is appealing the decision to the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee. A decision could come as early as next week, but not in time for Saturday night's Big 12 South showdown between No.3 Texas and the 13th-ranked Cowboys in Stillwater.

The loss of Bryant is obviously more harmful to the Cowboys (6-1, 3-0 Big 12) than it is to Bryant. He's their top playmaker as a receiver and punt returner. Bryant, who has played in just three of seven games for the Cowboys this season, is still third on the team in receiving with 17 catches for 323 yards and four touchdowns and was averaging 107.7 yards per game receiving.

Oklahoma State officials have said there will be no further comment on the Bryant situation until the appeal process is complete.

Monday, Gundy said he had heard nothing new on Bryant but that the team was moving on with the belief he would not return this season.

"There is nothing new," Gundy said at the time. "We've had no response. I think everybody has given up."

The suspension stems from a visit Bryant paid to Sanders' Dallas-area home this past May. There had been concern that Sanders worked Bryant out, bought him a meal and was possibly trying to establish a relationship between Bryant and his agent Eugene Parker.

When the NCAA approached Bryant about the meeting this summer, he said it didn't happen and he again reiterated that point in September when approached by the NCAA again. In talking with Sanders, however, the NCAA did find out a meeting took place.

But Sanders denies that the two worked out together, that the meeting had anything to do with establishing a relationship with his agent. Bryant also apparently paid for his own meal.

If those claims are true, it's unlikely any NCAA violation was committed because Sanders has no connection to Oklahoma State and he now works as an analyst for the NFL Network.

But Bryant ran into trouble when he lied to the NCAA about his interaction with Sanders, which is a serious violation. The school moved to suspend Bryant while the NCAA investigated the matter. The NCAA has accused Bryant of violating bylaw 10.1, which deals with "unethical behavior" including "knowingly furnishing the NCAA or the individual's institution false or misleading information."

Bryant traveled to Indianapolis along with a school compliance officer to meet with NCAA officials to apply for reinstatement late last month. It was there he came clean about meeting with Sanders and what went on, but apparently that was too late.