Butch Jones

Tennessee is reportedly under federal investigation after a series of sexual assault accusations involving students. Six Volunteers football players have been accused in such incidents since 2013. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

(Brynn Anderson)

The University of Tennessee is under federal investigation after a series of alleged sexual crimes on campus, including several in which members of the football team have been accused.

The Tennessean reported the news Thursday, with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights confirming it launched its investigation on June 29. Tennessee officials told the newspaper they were "in the process of collecting and preparing the information the Office of Civil Rights has requested."

It was not immediately clear if the Tennessee athletic department was directly involved. However, at least six Tennessee football players have been accused of sexual assault in the last three years.

Former Volunteers defensive back Michael Williams was indicted on two counts of aggravated rape for an incident last November in which linebacker A.J. Johnson -- the Volunteers' leading tackler and an NFL prospect at the time -- was also named as a suspect.

Wide receiver Von Pearson was suspended indefinitely by the football team after he was named as a suspect in an alleged rape last April, though he has never been charged. Former Volunteers Riyahd Jones, Marlin Lane and a sixth player whose identity has never been disclosed have also been linked to accusations of sexual assault that occurred on campus between 2013 and 2015.

As The Tennessean report notes, there are dozens of open federal investigations into sexual crimes at various college campuses around the country. Included in that list is Vanderbilt, in which four football players were accused of rape in 2013.

Two former Commodores players, Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey, were convicted of aggravated rape in January, but those verdicts were set aside in June after one juror did not disclose that he had once been a victim of sexual assault. The other two former Vanderbilt players accused in the case, Brandon Banks and Jaborian "Tip" McKenzie, are still awaiting trial.