A USC senior vice president on Thursday said the school would challenge the severity of the NCAA's sanctions against its football program, admitting the school did violate the rules but arguing that the punishment, including a two-year ban on bowl game appearances, was too severe. “We acknowledge that violations occurred and we take full responsibility for them,'' Todd Dickey, USC senior vice president for administration, said. “However, we sharply disagree with many of the findings in the NCAA Committee on Infractions report. Further, we feel the penalties imposed are too severe for the violations identified in the report.”

The school was stripped of 10 scholarships for three seasons starting next year, presumably as a results of violations related to special treatment of Reggie Bush. USC, in fact, was stripped of all wins since 2004 in which Bush played.

Bush, his mother and stepfather allegedly accepted cash and free housing at a San Diego home owned by a USC booster.

-With reporting from City News Service. Got news? Email us.

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