The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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66 THE WOLVERINE ❱ DECEMBER 2023 T he tears streaming down S h e r ro n e Mo o re 's fa ce following a 24-15 Michi- gan win at Penn State told a story — joy, sure, but also pain and an- ger over the treatment U-M had received in the media over the last several weeks. To be clear, nobody at U-M was taking allegations of illegal on-site scouting leading to a sign-steal- ing operation by analyst Con- nor Stalions lightly. But from the NCAA's "expedited investigation" to the Big Ten's unprecedented involvement in suspending head coach Jim Harbaugh for the rest of the season, you got the sense from Michigan, "enough is enough." Networks shamefully put graph- ics up of the years prior compared to the last three as "evidence" U-M only won because they stole signs by illegally scouting games in person, and their talking heads beat on them and their character relentlessly. Some even dragged running back Blake Co- rum's name through the mud because a document found with his name next to Stalions' convinced the mob to follow their lead … and in doing so, squarely put the pressure on Michigan to "prove us wrong." Moore, filling in for Harbaugh at PSU, didn't want to comment on the "only won because they cheated" angle, and he didn't. But senior running back Corum, his face bloodied and heart still pounding after carrying 26 times for 145 yards and 2 scores, said it for him. "You needed it," he said to those who tried to explain away their success. "You got it." Since the news broke and the ex- cuses disappeared, the Wolverines have hammered rival Michigan State, 49-0, pounded Purdue, 41-13, and dominated No. 10 Penn State on its own turf, 24- 15. More than anything after the latter, Moore's tears might have been those of relief. This one was a "win and get out" con- test in which the pressure was all on the Wolverines, mounted by a character as- sassination that even included Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti. His "unethi- cal" move (in athletics director Warde Manuel's words) to suspend Harbaugh on a federal holiday less than 24 hours before the game, leaving Michigan no time to fight it, has essentially created what some have called an "irreparable rift" between the conference and one of its cash cows. It's reaching "Petitti or us" levels, and Michigan doesn't appear to be bluffing. But make no mistake: the Wolver- ines had to win this game. The nation was waiting to say, "See! They were only winning because they cheated!" Instead, with their coach suspended a day before the game and a temporary restraining order pushed back in almost unprec- edented fashion, they squeezed the life out of the nation's No. 10 team on its home field. They smothered the Penn State of- fense, though the Nittany Lions had a little more ground success than expected (164 yards, 4.7 per carry). They put to rest the embarrassing notion that PSU sophomore quarterback Drew Allar was even in the same area code as Michigan junior J.J. McCarthy, making him look inept. U-M also ran for 70 yards on that vaunted defense in the fourth quarter to put the game away. It also silenced the hypocrisy of the critics, many hailing from some of the dirtiest programs in college football history. If you can't beat 'em, even when you're wandering beyond the grayest of gray areas, then say they only beat you because they cheated. Shift the blame, take the pressure off, point the finger, drag everyone else though the mud and take the pres- sure off you. You know it's worked when the Big Ten commissioner calls it the "worst scandal in the history of the conference," reportedly, in a league in which Jerry Sandusky once coached. To say he's in over his head is an un- derstatement. One industry source compared him to Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff, per Action Network's Brett McMurphy — "and I don't believe it was meant as a compliment," he said. And despite it all, the Michigan team overcame for a massive win, behind a de- fense that bent but didn't break, and a running game that did just enough. McCarthy hugged and thanked beat reporters as he left the postgame locker room, and his teammates pointed at their watches in response to PSU defensive co- ordinator Manny Diaz's "stealing signs" shots at them earlier in the week. For a night, they got a much-deserved reprieve from the insanity. While there's still more to overcome in the near fu- ture — the investigation is still underway — they showed again that it's going to take something more than what's been thrown at them so far to deter them from their happy mission. That in itself speaks to the character of this special group. ❑ INSIDE MICHIGAN ❱ CHRIS BALAS Nothing Slowing This Happy Mission In Jim Harbaugh's absence, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore (right) led the Wolverines to an emotional 24-15 win at Penn State. The entire team received a raucous welcome at Yost Ice Arena upon their return to campus. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Balas has been with The Wolverine since 1997. Contact him at cbalas@ thewolverine.com and follow him on X (Twitter) @Balas _ Wolverine.