Rece Davis isn’t exactly siding with the NCAA—and that’s caught some fans off guard.
As the Michigan football program continues to deal with the fallout of the sign-stealing scandal, Davis offered a surprising take on how the Wolverines are handling head coach Sherrone Moore’s suspension. Rather than calling out the convenient timing of Moore’s punishment, the College GameDay host actually defended it.
Earlier this week, Michigan announced that Moore would serve a two-game suspension during the 2025 season as a self-imposed penalty tied to the sign-stealing mess and Moore’s alleged deletion of text messages connected to former staffer Connor Stalions. But instead of missing the first two games—against New Mexico and Oklahoma—Moore’s punishment was pushed to Weeks 3 and 4, when the Wolverines face Central Michigan and Nebraska.
It raised eyebrows. Why let him coach against Oklahoma, his alma mater and one of Michigan’s toughest non-conference opponents?
But Rece Davis sees it differently.
“Sherrone Moore serving a two game suspension, but not the first two games, which I’m actually glad,” Davis said on The College GameDay Podcast. “Sherrone needs to be able to go back to Oklahoma, where he played, as a head coach, you know? I want him to be able to do that. I’m glad that they’re kicking the can down the road and doing the suspension for games three and four, it seems.”
That’s not exactly what critics expected to hear from one of the sport’s most respected voices. Davis wasn’t just okay with Michigan’s choice—he applauded it, calling it a “big reason why” the timing made sense. He also acknowledged that delaying the suspension might be part of a strategy to allow more time for appeals or new developments in the case.
“They can delay the process, kick the can down the road until they at least pass that, one would think,” Davis said. “Some sort of appeal, new discovery, new this, new that…”
It’s not the first time Davis has gone against the grain, but this one feels a little more personal. For those calling for the NCAA to step in and make an example out of Michigan, Davis’s comments probably sound tone-deaf.
After all, the issue at hand involves allegedly trying to cover up wrongdoing, not just a technical infraction. And when a school gets to decide which games count as punishment? Yeah, people are going to question the legitimacy of the whole process.