Michigan Football Forces Finebaum To Walk Back Previous Claim

Yesterday, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA, I was just feet away from one of the biggest moments in program history, as the Wolverines came from behind to take down Alabama in overtime, punching their ticket to the national title game. The game was iconic, and while the job is not finished, it forced one of the biggest Michigan football haters in the nation — SEC Network and ESPN host Paul Finebaum — to walk back one of his previous claims about the Maize and Blue.

Paul Finebaum walks back claim about Michigan football on ESPN

Paul Finebaum said weeks ago that he would refuse to acknowledge a Michigan football national championship due to the Connor Stalions sign-stealing allegations. Now, after watching Michigan down Alabama 27-20 in overtime in the Rose Bowl, the ESPN host and SEC Network talking head appears to have changed his mind. Here’s what he said when asked if a Michigan national title will have an asterisk next to it:

“I know what I said and, I know what many others said. … College football right now, it is such a mess,” he said on ESPN today. “And while a lot of us find (the sign-stealing allegations against Michigan), to be repugnant, almost everything about college football right now is repugnant.

“So I think Michigan, if they win, they’ll hoist the trophy,” he continued. “There will be haters out there, but most people I think are gonna go ‘congratulations, you are the best team.’”

Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines about to play in the national championship game

I doubt that this will be the end of the Paul Finebaum-Michigan football drama series — which has been ongoing for nearly a decade now — but for the time being, Finebaum is walking back a few previous claims.

Next weekend, Blue by Ninety will be in Houston for Michigan’s national title bout against Washington — the first title game in program history. Make sure you’re following along @BluebyNinety (Instagram and Twitter) for coverage of the Michigan Wolverines!