The Big Ten Conference suspended University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh on Friday for the final three games of the regular season amid an investigation into a sign-stealing scandal.
The conference said in a news release the university "has been found in violation of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Policy for conducting an impermissible, in-person scouting operation over multiple years, resulting in an unfair competitive advantage that compromised the integrity of competition."
The University of Michigan football team is 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Big Ten East Division, tied for first with longtime rival Ohio State. The Wolverines are ranked second in the nation by The Associated Press and third in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Harbaugh will not be allowed at the stadium for the final three games, at Penn State on Saturday, at Maryland on Nov. 18 and at home against Ohio State on Nov. 25, in what is known as "The Game." Harbaugh will be allowed to oversee practices.
"Like all members of the Big Ten Conference, we are entitled to a fair, deliberate and thoughtful process to determine the full set of facts before a judgment is rendered," the university said in a statement, which was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, by a reporter for The Detroit News.
"Today's action by Commissioner Tony Petitti disregards the conference's own handbook, violates basic tenets of due process, and sets an untenable precedent of assessing penalties before an investigation has been completed.
"We are dismayed at the commissioner's rush to judgment when there is an ongoing NCAA investigation — one in which we are fully cooperating."
In 1994, the NCAA banned off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents during the same season. Connor Stalions, a former staff member of the football program, has been accused of attending and sending associates to games of upcoming Michigan opponents and film their sidelines to decode their play-calling signs. Unlike the NFL, where coaches can communicate with selected players through their helmets, college football teams use sideline signals to direct their players.
"By taking this action at this hour, the commissioner is personally inserting himself onto the sidelines and altering the level playing field that he is claiming to preserve," the university said in its statement. "And doing so on Veteran's Day — a court holiday — to try to thwart the university from seeking immediate judicial relief, is hardly a profile in impartiality.
"To ensure fairness in the process, we intend to seek a court order, together with Coach Harbaugh, to prevent this disciplinary action from taking effect."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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