HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) – Gov. Tom Corbett has scheduled a news conference Wednesday in State College to announce that the State of Pennsylvania will take the National Collegiate Athletic Association to court over sanctions the NCAA levied on Penn State University.

The state will sue the NCAA in hopes of overturning at least some of the sanctions against the university.

In the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, the NCAA levied severe sanctions against the university just short of the so-called death penalty — or suspending the football program all together.

In addition to $60 million in fines, the NCAA imposed a four-year postseason ban, drastically reduced athletic scholarships and vacated football victories under late head coach Joe Paterno.

The state actions would come as something of a surprise.

The sanctions were imposed because of the failure of university officials to report allegations against Sandusky to law enforcement. And it was as attorney general that Gov. Corbett initiated the state criminal probe that led to their indictments.

But it seems that the state will sue the NCAA on the grounds that the athletic association overstepped its gound in imposing such severe sanctions in light of the Sandusky scandal.

The sanctions have already had a negative impact on the Central Pennsylvania economy.

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