COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Department of Education says a school whose legitimacy was scrutinized after its supposedly top-tier football team got clobbered in an ESPN-televised game didn't live up to its billing educationally either and turned out to be "a scam."
Gov. Mike DeWine said he's asking authorities to determine whether any laws were broken by what claimed to be the Columbus-area Bishop Sycamore High School.
ODE says Bishop Sycamore's administrator characterized his program as a way to get more exposure for football players who were having trouble getting into colleges.
The department recommends lawmakers make changes to state law to avoid a repeat of the situation.
According to the Associated Press, in their investigation, the ODE found zero evidence that the school had enrolled multiple students this year. They concluded that Bishop Sycamore didn't meet minimum standards, including academic offerings and student safety.
The news outlet reported that ODE launched the investigation after the school lost 58-0 in an August televised game against Florida-based powerhouse IMG Academy.
