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Michigan should be prepared to fight NCAA overreach

The NCAA will release its punishment to the public on Friday regarding Michigan football in the Connor Stalions investigation.
ByChris Peterson|
Oct 5, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Michigan Wolverines director of athletics Warde Manuel stands on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of a football game against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Michigan Wolverines director of athletics Warde Manuel stands on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of a football game against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

With an announcement scheduled for Friday, as well as a press conference from the NCAA, the Connor Stalions scandal is coming to an end.

It only took nearly two years of nonsense. However, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that a decision by the NCAA would be announced on Friday. He also added more context that Michigan football's accomplishments were safe, and that there is no postseason ban expected.

Rival fans have been trying to suggest that because the NCAA is holding a press conference, things are going to be really bad for Michigan. The NCAA will want to control the narrative because this truly was a witch hunt, and they don't want people to know all the facts, which is why things have been selectively leaked to make Michigan look bad.

Beyond all that, I'd be surprised if the NCAA agreed to Michigan's self-imposed penalty of a two-game suspension for Sherrone Moore.

Michigan should be ready to fight NCAA

We all know the fines and penalties for Connor Stalions and Jim Harbaugh are meaningless. Jim Harbaugh isn't going to coach college football again. So it's meaningless and meant to make it look worse than it is, even though Harbugh has never been tied to what Stalions is alleged of doing.

Still, the NCAA might try to impose a three or four-game suspension on Moore, for deleting text messages, it still received, before an investigation was even opened.

If that happens, Michigan has to fight it. It must take the NCAA to court. Here's why: this suspension will be more punitive than any served by Jim Harbaugh, at least in the sense that Moore won't be able to be around the team all week, during practice, as Harbaugh was.

Going three full weeks without the head coach is crazy, especially for something so minor. Wanting to get it over is understandable, but when has the NCAA ever won in court? Besides, even if the suspension is kicked down the road, Moore serving a game or two in 2026 would be better than three or four full weeks at the start of the 2025 season.

It does feel like the ruling will be favorable to Michigan, unless every single credible reporter covering this topic got it wrong. That's possible, but doesn't seem likely.

But the NCAA has been an adversary to Michigan, hardly a neutral third party, as evidenced by the fact that it has broken its own rules repeatedly to try to control the narrative. So don't be surprised if Michigan's punishment for Moore isn't accepted.

That's why even though it feels like good news is coming, Michigan should be prepared to fight if needed.

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