Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

The Reggie Bush case will be settled publicly open court, which means the NCAA will get documentation critical to making a case against USC.

Or it might not.

The NCAA case involves two aspects: 1) Can it prove any USC coach or official was aware of Bush taking cash and gifts; 2) In the absence of proving direct knowledge, will the NCAA find USC's lack of knowledge an actionable failure in itself -- the dreaded "lack of institutional control."

Our take is the second option is more likely if the NCAA is going to hit USC hard, particularly when the Bush case is paired with the strikingly similar O.J. Mayo investigation.

Here's the LA Times story. And the Orange County Register. And the San Diego Union-Tribune.

As the AP story states: 'If the NCAA determines that USC violated rules, the football program may have to forfeit victories from the 2004 and 2005 seasons and face additional penalties. The Trojans won the national championship in 2004 and lost in the BCS title game against Texas the following season."

Bush is schedule to be deposed on Sept. 9 (barring more delays and appeals). That could be an interesting day in court. Open court.