Reports say that in 2022, Ohio State and Rutgers shared Wolverines signs with Purdue.
ESPN reports that Michigan has shown proof to the Big Ten that Ohio State, Rutgers, and Purdue had conversations about the Wolverines’ signs before the 2022 Big Ten Championship Game.
This new knowledge comes when the Wolverines attempt to circumvent punishment in what is thought to be a large-scale sign-stealing ring.
The claim says that Ohio State and Rutgers swapped offensive and defensive signals before Michigan beat Purdue 45–23 to win its second straight Big Ten championship championship.
Early on Tuesday, Sports Illustrated published what seemed to be sheets that listed Michigan signals and the plays that went with them.
It’s not against the rules in the Big Ten or the NCAA to steal signs. Michigan, on the other hand, is said to have sent people to watch in person on the sidelines in order to steal signs, which is against NCAA rules.
The Big Ten has thought about using the league’s rules on good sportsmanship to speed up the review and punishment. It’s not clear if the league would also think that sharing signs is a violation.
On Monday, the Big Ten officially told Michigan that the football team could face punishment.
It’s until Wednesday for the Wolverines to answer. Jim Harbaugh, the coach of Michigan, has not been publicly linked to the investigation, but the Big Ten is thinking about suspending him.
According to papers obtained through CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd, other punishments being thought about include an official reprimand, withholding funds from the university, or a ban on TV.
There is a new twist to the Michigan football sign-stealing story, which already had a lot of strange turns and daily events. At this point, it’s not clear if sharing the Wolverines’ signs is against that rule of good sportsmanship.
A report from ESPN on Tuesday night said that Michigan sent papers to the Big Ten that the school said were proof that Ohio State, Rutgers, as well as Purdue talked about the Wolverines’ signals in 2022.
The Wolverines then beat Purdue 43–22 to win their second straight conference title and make it to the College Football Playoff.
Even though Michigan won easily in the end, they were only a point ahead with 10 minutes remaining within the fourth quarter, when they were up 456-386.
According to a source from the Big Ten, the league sent the information over to the NCAA so that they could look into it further.
That information probably won’t change the Big Ten’s plans to punish Michigan for breaking the league’s rules on good manners.
In its policy, the conference says that all games involving a member school must be played in a way that doesn’t violate any basic rules of sportsmanship.
Some of these basic things are fair play, treating everyone with respect, especially opponents and officials, and keeping the game honest.
Sources say that the three teams are Ohio State, Purdue, and Rutgers. Sources say that Ohio State sent offensive signals to Purdue and Rutgers sent defensive signals to them before the twenty-second Big Ten championship game between Purdue and Michigan.
Michigan beat Rutgers 52–17 on November 5 and Ohio State 45–23 on November 26. The Wolverines won the East Division with that win.
A person in the Big Ten said that the league had sent any data to the NCAA so that they could look into it further.
No one knows if the sharing of signals between league teams breaks any NCAA or Big Ten rules about good manners.
A source said that the information that was shared shouldn’t change how the Big Ten might punish Michigan for breaking the sportsmanship rules.
NCAA rules don’t say that schools can’t scout outside of school before games, but they do say that schools can’t steal signals during games.