Yorba Linda’s football season just changed in the blink of an eye.

According to Dan Albano of The Orange County Register, the Mustangs have forfeited four victories due to “violations that involved administrative oversight and undue influence.”

The same week the Mustangs open play in the Alpha League, with a heavily anticipated matchup against San Clemente on Friday, they will enter it with a 0-5 record.

The Mustangs originally started the season undefeated with wins over Laguna Beach, Long Beach Poly, El Dorado and Esperanza.

They suffered their first loss of the season on Friday, September 18, after Huntington Beach rallied from behind to beat them 29-25.

According to Albano, the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District said that the CIF-SS “determined” the violations on Tuesday.

“The substantiated violations involve more than one student and more than one incident,” the district said in a statement released to The OC Register. “The investigation documented deficiencies over time in eligibility verification, communication between coaches and athletic administration and participation clearance.”

Albano’s report added that “The district stated the CIF-SS found that Yorba Linda violated section bylaws 503 B(1) and 510.”

Bylaw 503 B(1) reads: “In the case where it is determined by the CIF Section that an ineligible student competed due to the failure of the school administration to submit proper CIF Section transfer eligibility paperwork which would have, had it been submitted in a timely manner and reviewed by the Section, otherwise been granted immediate eligibility in that sport(s) in which the student participated prior to the appropriate paperwork being submitted.”

According to bylaw 510, it says: “Sports cannot be the reason a student enrolls in or transfers to a new school.” 510 goes on to read that “undue influence” includes “any act—direct or indirect—intended to encourage a student to enroll for athletic purposes.”

As the school is looking to move forward from the forfeited games, Albano wrote that the school and district have taken the necessary measures to ensure the program will remain eligible to compete in league games and have an opportunity to qualify for CIF-SS competition.

With five more games left in the season, including the team taking on some of the top programs in Orange County like Mission Viejo [4-1], San Juan Hills [4-1], Edison [2-3], and Los Alamitos [0-5], the Mustangs will need to finish the season with a .300 record to be eligible to compete in the CIF-SS playoffs.