There have always been schools in backwater locations that can get away with more than the blue bloods because the media lights are brighter for Notre Dame, Texas, USC, etc. No one really gave a crap about what's happening in Lubbock, so they thought they could get away with whatever it took to win and no one would notice, or they'd forget quickly.
Now they're squirming in the national spotlight and can't figure out how to turn it off. Tom Brady was right in calling them a glorified community college. Their response has been just that. Just F them.