NCAA to reveal Michigan football punishment in sign-stealing case on Friday: report

After a long wait, Michigan football can finally expect a verdict from the NCAA.

The NCAA has informed all relevant parties in the Michigan sign-stealing case that it will announce its findings and potential punishments on Friday, according to ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel.

Michigan football has been the subject of an NCAA probe relating to allegations that former Wolverines staffer Connor Stalions engaged in a program to illegally scout opponents’ football signals.

In June, the NCAA Committee of Infractions held a hearing regarding the case, the focus of which was in-person advanced scouting of opponents in violation of NCAA rules.

Sign stealing is not itself a violation of NCAA rules, but bylaw 11.6.1 prohibits “off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents” in the same season.

Stalions is alleged to have purchased tickets for several Big Ten games and paid third parties to attend and film opponents’ sidelines to pick up their football signals.

The scandal first came to light in October 2023, the season Michigan won the national championship, and the Big Ten suspended then-head coach Jim Harbaugh for the final three games of the year.

Sherrone Moore, then the offensive coordinator, became interim head coach and led the Wolverines to victories against No. 10 Penn State, Maryland, and No. 2 Ohio State.

Moore, who became head coach last season, has already been suspended for two games of the 2025 football season relating to the 52 text messages with Stalions that he allegedly deleted, but that was implemented by the football team, not the NCAA.

Other penalties potentially facing the Michigan football program include possible recruiting restrictions, fines, and in the most extreme case, a postseason ban.

That last option seems like the most unlikely, given the NCAA’s reluctance in recent years to pursue a policy that severe, and after Michigan’s athletic director suggested that he didn’t believe a ban was likely after his own conversations with NCAA insiders.

And NCAA chief Charlie Baker himself said that he thought Michigan’s national title was legit, likely putting to bed any concerns that the school’s championship would be rescinded.

Whatever happens, Michigan football fans are happy to put it in the past and move on, but what the nature of the punishment will be remains to be seen.

(ESPN)

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