The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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66 THE WOLVERINE ❱ SEPTEMBER 2025 T he pearl clutching by fans, even some writers, started immedi- ately after the NCAA ruled on Michigan's "signgate" scandal … "How could they not have shut down that program?" "Where's the hammer?" Then, one of the more entertaining ones, from a fan of a rival team that's been pretty much irrelevant for the last several years … "No vacated wins or postseason bans? I'm done with college football!" Given the state of that program, he picked a convenient time. The crown jewel, though, came from a reporter covering Ohio State who sim- ply couldn't hide his disappointment during the post-announcement press conference with the Committee on In- fractions. Paraphrasing, he asked chair- person Kay Norton and the others how they could turn a cheek when a running back, for example, might have gotten hurt because a Michigan defender knew which hole he was going to run through, for example. And, yes, we're serious. That's how deep the coping mechanism stretches after four straight losses to "That Team Up North." Never mind that the Buckeyes lost each of their four games by being bullied in the trenches, or that they admittedly changed their signs in 2022 after being tipped off that Michigan might be on to them. Or that the Wolverines handled them in each of the following two years, including as a 19.5-point underdog last year, when head coach Ryan Day essen- tially said, "Let's see what happens now that they don't have our signs!" Noted, Ryan. Loud and clear, to the tune of 30-24 and 13-10. That should have been the end of it … no more excuses. Even before that, the NCAA noted there was no indication the scheme orchestrated by former Michi- gan staffer Connor Stalions impacted the outcome of games. "The NCAA took very quick action once it was apprised of the possibil- ity of these violations, and therefore there was insufficient evidence in the record that the outcome of games was affected," Norton said. NCAA President Charlie Baker had already made that clear months earlier when he proclaimed, "At the end of the day, no one believes at this point that Michigan didn't win the national title fair and square." Nobody but those whose self-worth is tied to a college football team, anyway. Everyone else had moved on. To be clear, it's never fun covering supposed "scandals," and it's been a tough two years following it and put- ting pieces together. But after years of watching opposing fans chuckle while blatant rules violations were made pub- lic — recruits flashing stacks of money on visits, freshmen standing next to their $100,000 cars, etc. — only to be ignored, our "care" factor has gone down significantly. We'll never forget a writer for a rival publication flashing a wry grin while saying, "If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'!" when we discussed the goings- on south of Ann Arbor. One thing we've learned over the years, too — if you're not going to play that game, you damn well better be looking for ways to gain advantages in other ways. No, we're not advocating for blatant cheating, but if there are ways to gain an edge in the so-called "gray areas," you'd better find them if you want to compete. Head coach Jim Harbaugh started testing those waters when he first ar- rived at Michigan, setting up satel- lite camps around the country. They quickly captured the attention of the coaches whose programs were already operating in the "charcoal" range of gray, and their NCAA cronies imme- diately put a stop to it despite no viola- tions of rules. Meanwhile, the formula for getting on the NCAA's good side remains, "ad- mit your sins, ask for forgiveness, and all will be well." Harbaugh, stunned by the hypocrisy, decided to follow a dif- ferent path and ignore the organization altogether. That, more than anything, is why the Wolverines received the largest fine in history, one they'll appeal along with much of the other punishment. This isn't over, and it won't be for a while. U-M's appeal includes language that indicates they might be willing to go to court if the NCAA doesn't ease some of the punishment. Any fear that Team 144's accomplishments will be stained, though, is gone, no matter how loudly Buckeyes, Spartans, or anyone else cries. As Harbaugh said after his ninth team captured the crown, they'll be "simply known as national champions." Fur- thermore, the program he built is still operating with momentum, with all its trophies still on display at Schem- bechler Hall. All signs point to a program ready to compete for even more for years to come. ❏ As former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said, his ninth team — U-M's Team 144 — will be "simply known as national champions." The recent NCAA "signgate" ruling did nothing to diminish that accomplishment. PHOTO BY DOMINICK SOKOTOFF Chris Balas has been with The Wolverine since 1997. Contact him at cbalas@ thewolverine.com and follow him on X (Twitter) @Balas _ Wolverine. INSIDE MICHIGAN ❱ CHRIS BALAS National Champs Forevermore