A recent report by Sports Illustrated alleges that a student supporter group used sex to attract recruits to the school's football program.

The group, called Orange Pride, was said to be organised in the 1980s to provide campus tours for football recruits and to perform small tasks for the football office. Members of the group were rewarded with choice suits at OK State home games. The membership was kept to a minimum -- roughly 16 female students.

The scope and breadth of the programme expanded as former coach Les Miles took over the football team. Sports Illustrated did not name names, nor did any of those interviewed for the feature article explicitly state that coaches or athletic staff had any direct hand in instructing Orange Pride hostesses to have sex with recruits. It was, however, known to many recruits that there were willing women available.

"The idea was to get them to think that if they came, it was gonna be like that all the time ... girls wanting to have sex with you," Artrell Woods, a former OK State wide receiver, told Sports Illustrated. Woods denied having sex with any of the members of Orange Pride, but said that he was aware of other recruits who did.

One unnamed alumnus said that he got to know two members of the program on a recruiting visit and had sexual relations with both. "I had the best of the best," the former player said.

At least one former member of the program has come forward to confirm the story. Chantel Sanders told SI that there was a subgroup within Orange Pride that had sex with football players, describing them as "groupies". Another former hostess, who refused to be identified, said that some hostesses did cross the line.

"I was only in the program for one year. When I found out [about the sex], that's when I quit," the former Orange Pride member said.

Orange Pride is not the only hostess programme in college football -- similar entities are commonplace in major football programs, and some, like the one at the University of Colorado in 2004, have been exposed for using sexual favors as recruiting currency.

Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder told Sports Illustrated that in light of recent findings, the school might consider a review of Orange Pride. The school has also said that it will employ an external investigator to verify the magazine's findings.