The NCAA has twice encountered a situation where it wanted to punish someone for egregious behavior but had no authority to do so because no rule on the books made the conduct a violation of NCAA rules.

Each time the NCAA tried to bluff its way through.

Penn State was reeling and agreed to accept punishment at a time emails were circulating among NCAA officials wringing their hands over what would they do if Penn State called their bluff.

North Carolina sat down with the NCAA enforcement staff and the NCAA laid out the depravity of the university and a lawyer for UNC LITERALLY tossed an NCAA manual across the table and told the NCAA staff member to turn to the page that has the rule UNC violated.

Everyone can stomp their little feet and complain about the NCAA and UNC and the fact of the matter is UNC didn't break an NCAA rule with the classes because no one ever dreamed anyone would do such thing and never passed a rule that applied to the situation.

It's like the "murder zone" of Yellowstone Park in Idaho where a crime that would entitle you to a jury cannot be held because there are no eligible jurors so you cannot be tried for the crime that took place there.

UNC found the perfect loophole. The NCAA wanted to hammer UNC but UNC called their bluff.