What rule did the Michigan Wolverines and Purdue Boilermakers break? Exploring Big Ten teams' sign-stealing allegations
The Big Ten is in the midst of a sign-stealing scandal centered around the Michigan Wolverines.
Michigan, though, recently presented information that they may not have been the only team in the conference to be stealing signs. According to Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports, the Purdue Boilermakers may have had the Wolverines signals in last year's Big Ten Championship Game. Wetzel wrote:
"Last Friday, however, Michigan presented the Big Ten with evidence that someone on the Rutgers football staff provided Michigan’s defensive signals to Purdue in advance of the Boilermaker-Wolverine 2022 Big Ten title game.
"Meanwhile, someone at Ohio State handed over U of M’s offensive signals. So in the Big Ten Championship Game, both teams had the other’s signals, both of which were gathered via advanced scouting."
He added:
"In Michigan’s case, the “advanced scouts” were Stalions’ band of iPhone-toting buddies. In Purdue’s case, the “advanced scouts” were the professional coaching staffs of two other Big Ten teams that had just played the Wolverines, and thus could battle-test the signs they stole as accurate."
While neither claim has been fully substantiated, there's reportedly more evidence against the Michigan Wolverines.
Furthermore, coaches appear to believe that the Boilermakers receiving signs is common in college football, but,Wolverines staffer Connor Stalions running an elaborate operation is not common.
It's unclear if Purdue faces investigation or what punishment Jim Harbaugh and Michigan could face.
Could the Michigan Wolverines be banned from the College Football Playoff?
The College Football Playoff selection committee released their second rankings on Tuesday, with the Michigan Wolverines ranked third in the nation.
The committee will not punish the Wolverines, as it's not their job to do so, and they do not want to set a precedent of handing out punishments. Meanwhile, the NCAA's investigation is unlikely to be concluded before the postseason.
According to Stewart Mandel of The Athletic, any in-season punishment would have to come from Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, who could take disciplinary action if the league's sportsmanship policy is violated:
"That policy states right off the top: “The Big Ten Conference expects all contests involving a member institution to be conducted without compromise to any fundamental element of sportsmanship.” What Stalions allegedly did on Michigan’s behalf seems just a little bit compromised and unsportsmanlike.
"Of course, Pettiti would need his hands on the same video/paper trail reportedly sent to the NCAA. He would need to feel comfortable taking action before the completion of the NCAA’s investigation. And then there’s the billion-dollar elephant in the room: He’d risk alienating Fox, the Big Ten’s primary TV partner, by staging a conference championship game without the best team in the conference."
A ruling on the matter could come later this week. It's unclear if coach Jim Harbaugh faces a suspension or if the Michigan Wolverines receive disciplinary action that prevents them from reaching the Big Ten Championship Game or the College Football Playoff.