REPORT: Analyst Flames Harbaugh, MSU Rival Wolverines Over Scandal

Michigan State's rivals, the Michigan Wolverines refuted, the NCAA's investigation into the sign-stealing scandal, and it has caused a slew of drama.

Oct 5, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; SEC Nation analyst Paul Finebaum looks on prior to the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Missouri Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The Michigan State Spartans' rival, Michigan, can't get out of its own way. Or the spotlight.

This week, Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger reported that the Wolverines were refuting the allegations made by the NCAA.

"In the 137-page document — a portion of which Yahoo Sports obtained — Michigan makes clear that it will not enter into a negotiated resolution with the NCAA over the alleged wrongdoing, vigorously defending its former head coach, current head coach, several staff members and even Stalions, the low-level assistant who orchestrated one of the most elaborate sign-stealing systems in college football history on the way to the school winning the 2023 national championship," Dellenger wrote. "The school purports that the sign-stealing system offered 'minimal relevance to competition,' was not credibly proven by NCAA investigators and should be treated as a minor violation.

" ... In its response, Michigan believes that the notice of allegations, sent to the school in August, makes 'numerous factually unsupported infractions, exaggerates aggravating factors and ignores mitigating facts,' the document says. The school requests that the NCAA apply 'common sense and commitment to fairness' and treat the case not as a serious Level I infractions case but a 'Level II standard case.'"

Then, Justin Spiro of the "Spiro Avenue Show" posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, an old video of a righteous Jim Harbaugh back in his San Francisco 49ers days. In the video, Harbaugh says, "You always want to be above approach. Especially when you’re good because you don’t want people coming back and saying, ‘Oh they’re winning because they’re cheating.’ We want to be above the approach in everything, play by the rules. If you cheat to win, then you’ve already lost.”

To that, Illinois coach Bret Bielema commented, "Really…. Why did you leave? Was looking forward to playing but understand why you ran to the NFL."

Now, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum, is throwing his opinion out there. On Wednesday, he concurred with Bielema in the criticism levied against Harbaugh.

“I’ve always liked Bret,” Finebaum said on "The Paul Finebaum Show" on Wednesday. “He was fun when we were together. But he is right. Harbaugh is just a disingenuous fraud about all the things he used to say. He didn’t want to face the music. By the way, Michigan didn’t really want him to stay.”

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