The phrase goes "If you're not cheating, you're not trying" and the Michigan Wolverines may be the best example of the phrase. When news first broke of the Michigan Wolverines sign stealing scandal, it was clear that it crossed the line and that the parties involved knew they were breaking the rules with the way they tried to keep it under wraps.
The past two years have been filled with fans waiting to see what the penalties would be for Jim Harbaugh's program crossing the line to win at all costs. On Friday, the NCAA's Committee on Infractions released it's findings and punishments for the parties involved.
From the NCAA: The ruling on Michigan’s “impermissible scouting scheme” that includes significant fines and penalties — including for now-#Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh https://t.co/4t8vgbKa4Ahttps://t.co/4t8vgbKa4A
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 15, 2025
The biggest punishment against the University comes as Michigan will not receive it's share of postseason revenue over the next two years which is expected to exceed $20 Million. In addition to the two games Sherrone Moore will be suspended for in 2025, he'll be suspended for the Wolverines 2026 season opener against Western Michigan in Germany.
Some of the parties involved were slapped with show cause penalties which will ensure they likely never coach College Football again. Jim Harbaugh got the strictest penalty with a 10-year show cause which will start in 2028 when his current 4-year show cause for a different investigation expires. Connor Stallions the mastermind behind the operation was hit with a 8-year show cause, Denard Robinson was hit with a 3-year show cause while Chris Partridge who was fired in 2023 didn't get any show cause penalty.
The school will be on a probation for 4 years which makes any further infractions by the program even more serious. This season, the Wolverines will lose 25% of their allotted official visits for recruits.
While many wondered how serious the damage would be to the program, everyone should start to ask why wouldn't we do that. When you look at the penalties that Michigan received it's hard to think anything other than the NCAA just told everyone else to cheat the system and the sport.
When you think of all the money that is being thrown around whether it's in NIL and Revenue Sharing or the contracts coaches receive, in the grand scheme of things the Wolverines aren't really being penalized. If you polled schools around the the Country if they'd be okay with the school losing $20 Million in exchange for a National Championship they'd be jumping to take the offer.
The NCAA decided to not punish the Wolverines with a postseason ban because the coaches who ra the scheme are no longer with the program. Any coach on the hot seat or nearing retirement would happily sign up for going out on top with only a show cause as the penalty.
By not seriously punishing the Michigan Wolverines, the NCAA just invited every other program to cross the line as they don't need to fear future postseason bans or a potential Death Penalty. The Wolverines should've been made the example of what could happen to a program that cheats the sport and instead, they walk away mostly unharmed.
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