You know the 2025 Michigan football season is close when Big Ten Media Days arrive, and the conference will kick off its three-day media get-together Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Michigan football won't take the stage until Thursday. Tuesday should be of interest to fans of the Michigan Wolverines, though, as Tony Petitti, the Big Ten Commissioner, will take the stage first, and you can expect him to be asked about the letter to the NCAA that became public knowledge on Monday.
Petitti, who suspended Jim Harbaugh during the 2023 Michigan football season for three games, wrote the NCAA Committee on Infractions, that the Michigan Wolverines should suffer "no further punishment," as reported by Dan Wetzel of ESPN on Monday.
That's interesting. It also means that the BIg Ten evidence that the coaching staff, beyond what the conference knew when it suspended Harbaugh. It said then more punishment would be appropriate if more wrongdoing was uncovered.
It wasn't. Sherrone Moore is still expected to be suspended for at least two games, along wth show-cause penalites for Jim Harbaugh and Connor Stalions, plus fines and recruiting restrctions.
However, it doesn't feel like the "hammer" is coming, which means vacated wins or a postseason ban, which would essentially equal the death penalty in this era of college football.
Here's the schedule according to the Big Ten:
DAY 1 (July 22): Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio State, Rutgers
DAY 2 (July 23): Minnesota, Northwestern, Oregon, Penn State, Washington, Wisconsin
DAY 3 (July 24): Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, UCLA, USC
Bulletin board material for Sparty
Michigan football players did interviews with media outlets at a golf event on Monday, and offered some rivalry fodder.
You either back this up or look pretty silly now... to say the least. Those are the two options. https://t.co/cPH4DB2ebW
— Anthony Broome (@anthonytbroome) July 21, 2025
In a now deleted tweet, some Wolverines called Michigan State, "Little brother." Mike Hart and Chase Winovich has thrown out that insult before.
Of course, it's better to say it after a win than before the season, so these players will have to walk the walk after talking the talk.
Michigan ranked fifth in Big Ten preseason poll
The Michigan Wolverines also ranked fifth in the Big Ten preseason media poll on Monday. Penn State was predicted to win the conference in the Cleveland.com poll. Ohio State, Oregon, and Illinois, in that order were ranked ahead of U-M.
Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, USC, and Washington rounded out the top 10.