Jim Harbaugh: Michigan ‘Innocent’ of Cheating Allegations After National Title Win

Andrew PetersJanuary 9, 2024

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Following Michigan’s College Football Playoff title win over Washington on Monday night, head coach Jim Harbaugh called his team “innocent” of any cheating allegations.

Per The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach, Harbaugh said his team stayed resilient throughout the season because they believed they were not guilty of sign-stealing allegations.

“Off the field issues? We’re innocent,” Harbaugh said. “We stood strong and tall because we knew we’re innocent.”

Michigan’s resiliency paid off, as the Wolverines capped off an undefeated season with a dominant 34-13 win over the Huskies to claim their first national championship since 1997.

In October, the NCAA began an investigation into Michigan’s program for allegedly breaking rules that prohibit teams from scouting future opponents in person. After the investigation began, Michigan suspended analyst Connor Stalions, who was one of the top people of interest in the sign-stealing investigation. Stalions later resigned.

Later in October, a former D-III coach claimed that Stalions offered him “a couple hundred dollars” to attend several Big Ten games over the past two years to record video of the team’s sidelines.

Amid the investigation, the Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the season, marking his second suspension of the season. His first suspension was self-imposed over alleged recruiting violations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The NCAA’s investigation of Michigan is on-going.

Despite the allegations and investigations, Harbaugh and Michigan put together an impressive 15-0 season, and now the Wolverines are champions.