The Miami Hurricanes football scandal rocked the collegiate football world with yet another revelation of cheating under the NCAA's nose.  The recent string of collegiate programs meeting with the infractions committee is surprising, but the allegations from Miami shocked even the most cynical college fans. 

With that, I present the NCAA's Top 5 Infamous Programs of collegiate cheaters.  In processing these considerations, this list took into account severity of the allegations, severity of the punishment, influence in modern sports, and the shock of the allegations on the world of collegiate athletics.  We'll look at the programs to see the dastardly faces of distrust in collegiate athletics.  Without further ado, we see how the Miami Hurricanes football scandal fits into the expansive history of cheating in college.

No. 5 University of Memphis Basketball

The University of Memphis, formerly Memphis State University, is number five on our list of most infamous college programs because it has a history of repeat violations in basketball.  The most amazing part of Memphis' scandals is their independence from each other.  While other collegiate athletic programs have extensive networks of alumni who've funneled money and other benefits to athletes throughout the years, Memphis' convictions exist without such networks.  Instead, the University has a habit of hiring coaches who are fast and loose with the rules, doing whatever it takes to placate a city that can't get enough of its hometown team, but doesn't have the money or organized following to compete with the complex subversion that exists in conferences like the SEC.

With allegations of player payments and point shaving, Memphis State was forced to vacate its Final Four NCAA run in 1985.  Dana Kirk was convicted of tax evasion as his players were receiving benefits from infamous gambler Nick Belisomo.  Ultimately, the NCAA threw out the 1985 season for the Tigers who ended the season with a loss to eventual National Champion Villanova.

Fast forward to a 2007 University of Memphis Basketball program run by notoriously dirty John Calipari.  The Tigers made it to the National Championship, nearly winning until Kansas forced them to shoot free throws.  Behind all-world point guard Derrick Rose, the Tigers were nearly unstoppable.  The NCAA forced the Tigers to vacate all wins, however, when it was revealed that Rose cheated on his standardized tests.

When the Tigers hired Calipari, they should have known what they were inviting into their home after his notorious history at UMass.  Rumors quietly flew around Memphis about Calipari's tactics, but the city was willing to accept the consequences so long as it could see success on the court first.

No .4 University of Tennessee Athletics

The University of Tennessee makes it to No. 4 on the list because its cheating crosses athletic programs.  Not only was Lane Kiffin open about his minor violations, but he and Bruce Pearl were taken before the NCAA due to larger violations.  This is coupled with an incestual relationship between the Knoxville justice system and Tennessee coaches, who ultimately allow felons to play ball if the players were convicted at all. 

The program is lucky enough to have an award named after former head coach Phil Fulmer.  The Fulmer Cup is awarded to the athletic program who plays the most convicts in a season, because Fulmer's teams were consistently loaded with felons.  Former Tennessee convicts include Dontae Stallworth, Albert Haynesworth, Jamal Lewis, and Leonard Little.

More recently, both Bruce Pearl and Lane Kiffin were under the microscope of the NCAA due to their repeated infractions.  Maybe in an effort to keep up with cross-state rival John Calipari, Pearl committed recruiting violations by inappropriately hosting recruits at a barbeqeue at his home among other violations.  Then, Pearl lied to the NCAA—the ultimate sin. 

In one year, Kiffin racked up numerous secondary violations coupled with sending "hostesses" from Tennessee to high school football games to lure recruits to the Volunteer football program.  One could expect violations from Kiffin, as his career was birthed from a corrupt USC program.  Additionally, Kiffin hired Ed Orgeron in an effort to ramp up recruiting immediately.  Anyone familiar with Orgeron and Kiffin know "Violations" are their middle names.

Tennessee, as a member of the Southeastern Conference, is guilty by association as well; but its antics do not land it at the top of our list.

No. 3 USC Athletics

The University of Southern California is infamous for many reasons.  While it's had a historic past, the spotlight continues to follow its successes.  From its earlier NCAA violations to its current violations, USC inhabits a world where corruption is rampant among its alumni and fairweather followers in Hollywood.  Due to its environment, its only natural that corruption would be the norm.  Couple corruption with proud alums like OJ Simpson and you land at No. 3 on this list.

USC was sanctioned heavily for its pay-for-play violations in the 1950s, among other violations, only to come back before the NCAA in 1982 when it was cited for lack of institutional control for more payment schemes.  Not learning its lesson, USC was again convicted of impermissible recruiting violations in 1986.  Finally, USC was able to escape into the 1990s, avoiding trouble with the NCAA until the turn of the century.

In 2001, USC was accused of academic fraud, opening the door to the notorious era of Pete Carroll and his band of merry cheaters.  Carroll's staff included Lane Kiffin and Ed Orgeron, but Todd McNair ultimately became the fall guy for the Trojans football program in the Bushgate scandal.  Before sanctions could be levied against the program for Bushgate, some of the heaviest levied on a major program in years, Carroll left a sinking ship for the Seattle Seahawks. 

Bushgate has been well documented, but USC's violations also extend to its basketball program under Tim Floyd who was accused of paying players.  After questions about OJ Mayo's involvement in payments from the program were illuminated, Floyd was quickly forced out of the program.

USC is the ignorant child who refuses to learn its lesson.  It has a demanding fan base that is more than willing to "assist" in the program's success.  Because of its chronic history of violations and recent notoriety, USC lands highly on our list.

No. 2 Miami Hurricanes Football

The Canes nearly landed at No. 1 on this list, but its violations have yet to land the death penalty, and are all part of recent history, though an already infamous history.  From the Catholics vs. Convicts game to its present predicament, Miami has a troubled past.

During the Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson eras of Miami football, the team was known for guns, drugs, and other violations.  The players were criminals off the field.  Athletic Director Paul Dee, who heads the NCAA infractions committee, allegedly hid drug testing results from Erickson so players could avoid suspension.  Furthermore, the Canes were convicted of Pell Grant fraud which provided money to players and their families.  This landed Miami on probation for its actions in the 1980's.

The Hurricanes program has the challenge of dealing with a similar environment as the Trojans, living in a city where glitz and glamour are the norm.  Though hamstrung by sanctions, Butch Davis was able to keep a Miami program alive despite its disarray.  It's questionable whether Davis was cheating though, after his recent ouster at North Carolina for extensive violations between players and agents.

Everybody is aware of Miami's current situation which could land it the death penalty, as numerous players have been named in a scandal which dates back to 2002.  That scandal involved paying over a million dollars to Miami football players, including $50,000 to NFL athlete Vince Wilfork.

With the recent scandal under the command of university president Donna Shalala, Miami makes a strong case to find itself at No. 1 on this list, but one program is more infamous.

#1 Kentucky Basketball

In the 1950's, the University of Kentucky was given the death penalty after winning its second national championship.  The players involved were paid to play, academically ineligible and took part in point shaving.  The coaching staff was fully culpable as knowing participants.  While many people look to SMU football as a prime example of the death penalty, Kentucky's basketball corruption was infamous for its blatant violations.

After recovering from its heavy penalty, Kentucky was again implicated in player payment and recruiting violations in the 1980s after an envelope with $1,000 for a UK player was discovered by someone outside the program.  The NCAA levied sanctions once more.

Compounded with a history of violations and the fact that UK actually landed the death penalty places it near the top of this list.  What really allowed it to attain the number one position is its employment of John Calipari whose previous stops at UMass and Memphis have landed both programs in the NCAA dog house. 

Its remarkable that a single coach can land such a disproportionate amount of top athletes, especially when one looks at that recruiting success in the context of his previous employment.  His resume screams "violation."  It's only a matter of time before Kentucky basketball lands in hot water once more.  Will it win a National Championship before that day?  If so, it will likely be vacated anyway.  Is it worth it?  Doubtful, especially if the NCAA toughens its stance against violators.

Honorable Mention

Ohio State Athletics

Ohio State's violations have been well documented as of late, including violations in both the football and basketball programs.  Jim Tressell left Youngstown State with sanctions, so it should come as no surprise that OSU would be convicted sooner or later.

SMU Football

Though the echoes of its death penalty affect the NCAA, today, SMU has had such a lack of impact on collegiate athletics for so long, that it was left off the list as a non-entity, as compared to other programs with a history of cheating and who still influence the game.

Alabama Athletics

Alabama's violations in both football and basketball almost landed it on the list.  Its payment of recruits in Memphis illuminated a very dirty scheme in that city, with coaches dictating where players would play college football based on the benefits afforded the coaches.  Despite the seriousness of the violations at Alabama, its illustrious history helped keep it off the list.

Florida State Athletics

The Noles nearly made the list with their multiple scandals and off field altercations.  From its free shoe scandal to its recent pervasive academic cheating scandal, Florida State is arguably one of the Top 10 infamous collegiate programs.

Colorado Football

Under Rick Neuheisal, Colorado football committed some of the most egregious violations in football, including sexual assault claims by a former female kicker.  The Buffaloes' cheating was extensive, landing the program with sanctions, but not nearly as strong as those sanctions being levied today.