FanHouse Deion Sanders

Let the Dez Bryant/NCAA debate begin.

Just or unjust? Excessive or just plain over the top?

Whatever side you fall on, the NCAA has made it's decision where Oklahoma State All-American receiver Dez Bryant is concerned. The governing body turned down the final appeal on the junior's one-year suspension for lying, likely ending his college career.

There is nothing new about Bob Stoops matching coaching wits with old mentor and boss Bill Snyder. They've done plenty of that over the years in Big 12 cross-divisional play.

But that doesn't mean Stoops isn't a little surprised to see Snyder, 70, back on the Wildcats sideline. The longtime Kansas State coach retired four years ago to pursue opportunities outside coaching, but was lured out of retirement last winter.

Stoops, whose 22nd-ranked Sooners host the Wildcats on Saturday, admits it's a little unexpected to be going up against his old boss again, but he was stunned when Snyder was no longer there, too.

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.

It's just three weeks into the full-swing of Big 12 play but the North Division is looking like any of the six teams could win the race.

That doesn't necessarily bode well at all for the weaker half of the two-division league.

Nebraska and Kansas came into the season as the presumed favorites to represent the North, but after two weeks of inconsistent play neither seems as powerful. The same can be said for two-time North champion Missouri, which started the season a surprising 4-0, but has dropped its first two games of the Big 12 season.

Suspended Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant has the support of head coach Mike Gundy as he heads to Indianapolis on Tuesday to request reinstatement by the NCAA.

Bryant, the Cowboys All-American receiver/punt returner, was suspended by OSU last week after it came out that he lied to the NCAA about his involvement with former star NFL cornerback Deion Sanders. The NCAA said Bryant violated a rule governing ethical conduct by lying to investigators. Apparently, the NCAA asked Bryant about going to Sanders home in the Dallas-area last May and he denied going.

Dez Bryant, an All-American wide receiver at Oklahoma State, was ruled ineligible last week because he lied to the NCAA about whether he had ever visited Deion Sanders' home. Bryant had, he said he hadn't, and for now he's no longer playing football for the Cowboys.

Sunday, Sanders used his NFL Network gig to talk about his relationship with Bryant, as well as the tampering investigation surrounding Michael Crabtree, the 49ers' 2009 first-round pick.

I thought Primetime came out of the 11-minute interview better than he went into it, but the circumstances are curious nonetheless.

Jason Whitlock is known as much for his unhealthy love of high school teammate Jeff George as he is for speaking his mind, even if it might not be in his best interest.

By those standards, his most recent FoxSports.com column is relatively benign, although Deion Sanders -- the target of Whitlock's ire -- might feel differently.

Forty-Niners first-round pick Michael Crabtree finally signed his contract this week after spending all preseason and the first month of the season pimping Subway subs. Turns out part of the hold-up wasn't with Crabtree's agent, Eugene Parker, but with his "advisor," Primetime. At least according to Whitlock, who affectionately refers to him as Deion "Master D" Sanders.

The news just keeps getting worse for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the team many figured could challenge Texas and Oklahoma for supremacy in the Big 12 this season.

The school confirmed Wednesday that All-American receiver Dez Bryant has been declared ineligible after lying to the NCAA about his interaction with former NFL star Deion Sanders this past May. Bryant visited Sanders' home in Texas, had lunch with him and worked out with the NFL star this past May.

But when asked by the NCAA first in the offseason, then again Sept. 11 about the interaction with Sanders, Bryant denied both accounts because he thought it was a rules violation. The meeting and workout with Sanders, who is unaffiliated with Oklahoma State, likely wasn't a violation. Misleading NCAA investigators, however, is.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Two busloads of youth football players from Texas pulled in front of the Moore Athletic Center at Florida State University early Wednesday afternoon. One of the first persons to emerge from lead bus was the organization's founder, coach and tour guide.

Hello, Deion Sanders.

Sanders, a former FSU All-American and current analyst for the NFL Network, returned to Tallahassee, Fla., for a quick visit and football.

Last Monday, Michael Vick was given his freedom from law enforcement officials who said he no longer has to stay at home with an electric monitoring device on his ankle.

This Monday, Vick was given a little more freedom: An opportunity to return to the NFL, with some conditions.

Deion Sanders and Dan Reeves each spoke to Vick recently about his troubles and both told FanHouse the quarterback is feeling good about coming back to the NFL.