After fierce denials, why did Michigan pass on its day in court?

After roughly a week of fierce denials, Michigan has backed off. 

That's right. Following the cries of injustice and the "Michigan vs. Everybody" shirts amid head coach Jim Harbaugh's three-game suspension for the program's role in an alleged sign-stealing scheme, the fight, at least with the conference, is over. 

On Thursday, less than 24 hours before they were due in court to argue the suspension, Michigan and Harbaugh announced they would accept the Big Ten's punishment. After all the uproar, why did Michigan eventually pass on its day in court? New York Times best-selling author and longtime Michigan insider John U. Bacon believes the program might be taking its lumps now with the Big Ten in preparation for a bigger fight soon. 

"The NCAA case seems to have been accelerated, and if that's the case then perhaps Michigan is cutting its losses and getting the Big Ten out of the way for now and accepting that loss," Bacon said Thursday on the Paul Finebaum Show. 

Bacon's comments are interesting as the wide belief is that Michigan's choice to accept the conference's penalty was a win-win for everyone involved. They've decided to take their deserved comeuppance, and everyone can move on. Interestingly enough, that's certainly the narrative Michigan is trying to spin. 

Michigan's statement earlier in the day read that the University, coach Harbaugh and the conference had "resolved" their pending litigation.   At the same time, the Big Ten said Michigan had withdrawn its legal challenge, adding that the conference will "continue to work cooperatively with the University and the NCCA during this process." 

On one side, Michigan is seemingly insinuating that the investigation is over. However, the Big Ten is saying that while they might be satisfied, they'll aid the NCAA as it continues to look into Michigan's apparent misdeeds. 

Regardless of why Michigan ultimately decided to take its medicine from the Big Ten, a resolution to the situation doesn't seem like it's around the corner. Whether that means more punishments levied against Michigan by the NCAA or perhaps more threats of litigation remains up in the air for now.