NCAA to announce findings, punishments in Michigan football sign-stealing scandal Friday
The NCAA has notified relevant parties in the Wolverines' infractions case that an announcement on the investigation's findings and punishments will be released on Aug. 15, a source confirmed to the Detroit Free Press, a part of the USA TODAY Network, on Aug. 14.
The scandal has followed the Wolverines since news of it first broke in October 2023 and trailed them during an eventful stretch in the program's long, storied history. Since that October day, Michigan won its first national championship since 1997, watched head coach Jim Harbaugh leave for the NFL and saw a once-anonymous staffer − Connor Stalions − become a nationally recognized figure virtually overnight.
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The NCAA's Committee on Infractions will make a recommendation for a punishment, which Michigan will have the chance to appeal.
In January, the Wolverines accused the NCAA of 'grossly overreaching' and 'wildly overcharging' the program in response to an August 2024 notice of allegations that cited 11 NCAA infractions, including six Level I violations, the most serious offenses in the NCAA rulebook.
The university has tried to be proactive in dealing with the potential fallout of the case, suspending head coach Sherrone Moore for two games during the upcoming 2025 season (Weeks 3 and 4 vs Central Michigan and Nebraska, respectively). Moore was Michigan's offensive coordinator during the sign-stealing saga and was alleged to have deleted 52 text messages from Stalions.
The Wolverines, the No. 14 team in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, open their season on August 30 against New Mexico.
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