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Big Ten Reportedly Notifies Michigan State Of 'Possible Sportsmanlike Violation'

Michigan State was supposed to address the situation with defensive end William Gholston on Tuesday, but so far nothing has been said. Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio declined to comment on Gholston until MSU's internal review is finished. Apparently Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis is going to release a statement, but it's unclear if that statement will include news about a suspension or not.

For now, all we know is that the Big Ten has let MSU know about a "possible sportsmanlike violation." According to Jeremy Sampson, Michigan State has three days to respond to it. This likely means MSU has time to conduct its own review and hand out its own punishment before the Big Ten steps in.

For what it's worth, Gholston is listed as a starter on this week's depth chart for Michigan State. Obviously that doesn't mean he will necessarily play, but it's an indication that no decision has been made by MSU just yet about discipline.

UPDATE: Below is the full text of Mark Hollis' statement on this issue (via Joe Rexrode).

"The Big Ten has notified Michigan State of a possible sportslike conduct violation. We are in the process of completing our internal review of the matter. We are thoroughly reviewing the entire game and utilizing all of the available resources: coaches' video from midfield and end zone cameras, TV copy as well as still photographs. Once the internal review is completed, we will forward a written report on to the Big Ten. The conference office won't discuss a timeline for this process and neither will we.

"We will follow the proper protocol for filing our complete report and not do it in a piecemeal manner through the media.

"As an institution, we work hard at promoting good sportsmanship and I'm sure many of you are familiar with our 'Raise Your Shield' campaign, encouraging our fans to honor and respect our opponents. I also know that Coach Dantonio and his staff work hard at promoting good sportsmanship. This is an isolated incident and Coach D and his staff will continue to emphasize the importance of maintaining one's composure during the heat of the moment.

"As an AD, I take sportsmanship seriously, but it's equally important for me to evaluate this game and the particular play in its totality."