Five players in SEC allegedly broke rules

A day after Sports Illustrated unveiled a five-part series alleging football corruption at Oklahoma State, a Yahoo Sports investigation alleged that five Southeastern Conference players took impermissible benefits while they were in college.

The list includes former Alabama star offensive tackle D.J. Fluker, former Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray, another Tennessee player and two from Mississippi State.

Alabama Athletic Director Bill Battle issued a statement saying the school was looking into the charge against Fluker before the Yahoo report.

It’s too early to tell what impact, if any, the allegations may have on Alabama’s 2011 and 2012 Bowl Championship Series titles. Fluker was the Crimson Tide’s starting tackle both years before becoming a first-round pick of the San Diego Chargers.

— Chris Dufresne

More than a dozen Oklahoma State football players admitted to academic misconduct over the last decade, including receiving exam answers in advance, passing classes for little or no work and using tutors who completed work for them, according to a Sports Illustrated article released Wednesday.

“The philosophy, the main focus, was to keep [top players] eligible through any means necessary,” former safety Fath’ Carter told the magazine. “The goal was not to educate but to get them the passing grades they needed to keep playing. That’s the only thing it was about.”

Oklahoma State said it has notified the NCAA about the allegations and started its own investigation.

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Quarterback Braxton Miller’s status is still uncertain for No. 4 Ohio State’s game at California on Saturday.

Coach Urban Meyer said Miller got in a little work at Wednesday’s practice but then had to go in to do a lot of rehabilitating his injured left knee.

Miller, who sustained a sprained ligament in his left knee early in the Buckeyes’ 42-7 win over San Diego State last weekend, has been receiving treatment and throwing the ball this week. Meyer said Tuesday that he was “fairly optimistic” that junior would play.

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Grambling State fired Coach Doug Williams after the Tigers lost the first two games of the season.

The school announced it bought out the rest of the former NFL quarterback’s contract.

Running backs coach George Ragsdale is taking over as interim head coach.

ETC.

Raikkonen to rejoin Ferrari team

Ferrari said former champion Kimi Raikkonen, 33, would rejoin the Formula One team next year to replace the departing Felipe Massa.

A taciturn Finnish driver nicknamed “The Iceman,” Raikkonen drove for Ferrari in 2007-09 and won the Formula One championship with the team in 2007.

Currently driving for the Lotus team, Raikkonen won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix this year and is fourth in the title standings.

—Jim Peltz

The Miami Heat re-signed Michael Beasley, who spent the first two years of his up-and-down career with the team and became a free agent when the Phoenix Suns bought him out this month.

Beasley was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 draft by the Heat, and averaged 14.3 points in those two seasons. He then was traded to Minnesota in 2010.

The Striper King Classic 3 fishing tournament will be held Sept. 28 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet. Prizes will be up to $1,000. The event benefits the Valley-Wide Recreation & Park District, Police Athletic League and Wounded Warrior Project. Information: Diamond Valley Lake Marina (951) 926-7201.