Spartan Nation

Social Media Reacts to MSU Bitter Rival Michigan's Punishment

The NCAA finally punished Michigan State's in-state rival, Michigan, for the several violations it committed during the 2021, 2022 and 2023 college football seasons.
Aidan Champion|
Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

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Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State's bitter rival, Michigan, was finally dealt its punishment from the NCAA for its illegal scouting scheme and other violations over the course of the 2021, 2022 and 2023 college football seasons.

Per the NCAA, "The majority of the violations in this case relate to (Connor) Stalions' orchestration of an impermissible scouting scheme."

Stalions is a former Michigan staffer whose job was to interpret opponents' signals.

A Division I Committee on Infractions panel concluded the following on Friday, per the NCAA's release:

"During the 2021, 2022 and 2023 football seasons, Stalions directed and arranged for individuals to conduct off-campus, in-person scouting of Michigan's future regular-season opponents. In doing so, Stalions purchased game tickets and transferred them to those individuals, who included another staff member, interns and acquaintances of Stalions. The network of individuals was referred to as the 'KGB.'

"While in attendance, they filmed the signal callers on the future opponents' sidelines and then provided that film to Stalions. Using the footage they collected — which Stalions referred to as "dirty film" — Stalions then deciphered opponents' signals. Stalions and other individuals involved in the scheme acknowledged or corroborated this process. 

"Additionally, on one occasion, Stalions personally attended a future opponent's contest. In total, 56 instances of off-campus, in-person scouting of 13 future regular- season opponents occurred across 52 contests. Stalions' conduct resulted in a collective Level I violation of the impermissible scouting rule that expressly prohibits off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents.

"By his own admission, Stalions expended significant resources and effort to plan the scheme, spending nearly $35,000 on tickets in 2022 alone. Through the scheme, Stalions collected, deciphered and documented thousands of signals for use by other staff members.

"Record materials demonstrated that Stalions had access to prominent coaching staff members, who he stood next to during football games. Once information became public, Stalions also went to significant lengths to attempt to conceal his efforts. Those actions are accounted for by his failure to cooperate violations.

"The panel noted that 'the true scope and scale of the scheme — including the competitive advantage it conferred—will never be known due to individuals' intentional destruction and withholding of materials and information." The panel went on to note that while the scope may never be known, the intent of the scheme was to gain a competitive advantage over competitors, stating, 'Regardless of whether it was Stalions or someone acting on his behalf, their physical presence at the game essentially gave them front-row seats to a key element of opponents' offensive and defensive strategies.'"

Harbaugh, Stalions
Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh watches from the sideline beside off-field analyst Connor Stalions, right, during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in 2022. | Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan's punishment

Here are the punishments the NCAA dealt Michigan's football program for its "off-campus, in-person scouting scheme, impermissible recruiting inducements and communications, head coach responsibility rules, individuals' failures to cooperate and (its) failure to monitor."

  • Four-year probation
  • $50,000 fine along with 10% of program's budget
  • A fine equivalent to the anticipated loss of all postseason competition revenue sharing associated with the 2025 and 2026 football seasons
  • A fine equivalent to the cost of 10% of the scholarships awarded in Michigan's football program for the 2025-26 academic year
  • 25% reduction of official visits this season
  • 14-week prohibition on recruiting communications
  • Eight-year show-cause order for Stalions, restricting him from all athletically related activities during the show-cause period
  • 10-year show-cause order for former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, restricting him from all athletically related activities during the show-cause period, which will begin on Aug. 7, 2028, at the conclusion of his four-year show-cause order from a previous case
  • Two-year show-case order for current Michigan coach Sherrone, who receives one-game suspension for Week 1 of the 2026-27 season in addition to program's self-imposed two-game suspension for Week 3 and Week 4 of this season
  • Three-year show-cause order for former Michigan director of player personnel Denard Robinson, restricting him from all athletically related activities during the show-cause period

Why there was no postseason ban

Many were expecting a postseason ban for the Wolverines, or perhaps vacated wins, including their 2023 national title.

Per the NCAA, "The panel determined that a postseason ban would unfairly penalize student-athletes for the actions of coaches and staff who are no longer associated with the Michigan football program. Thus, the panel determined a more appropriate penalty is an offsetting financial penalty instead of a two-year postseason ban."

Social media reacts

Of course, Friday's news resulted in a social media frenzy:

Keep up with all our Michigan State football content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts on Michigan's punishment when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. Don't forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.

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Aidan Champion
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