NCAA reveals why Michigan escaped postseason ban, won't vacate wins

Michigan football heard the verdict from the NCAA in the sign-stealing saga, and while the school will pay serious money for the scheme, it won a major victory of sorts.

The NCAA reveals why Michigan won't serve any postseason ban, and why the Wolverines won't have to vacate wins in football. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The ruling is in, and the NCAA has revealed its punishment for the Michigan football program after its long investigation into the sign-stealing controversy.

And while Michigan will fork over some serious cash and lose its head coach for one game next season, the school won a major victory by not having any of its wins or its national championship taken away in the decision.

The reason for that ruling? Members of the NCAA Committee on Infractions said it came down to the fact that Michigan’s players were eligible in those games.

That was despite what the NCAA called “sufficient grounds for a multiyear postseason ban,” adding that “a postseason ban is required in this case.”

Still, they decided against it to avoid punishing players for the actions of coaches.

“Michigan’s repeat violator status, coupled with its Level I-Aggravated case classification, is sufficient grounds for a multiyear postseason ban,” the NCAA said in its letter.

“However, 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.”

That decision would suggest the NCAA did not have enough evidence that the alleged sign-stealing operation masterminded by Connor Stalions did not directly affect the outcome of Michigan’s games.

If they did have that proof, then the Wolverines almost certainly would have been subject to a multiple-year postseason ban, the NCAA admitted.

How will the NCAA punish Michigan? Here are the full terms, as revealed in the official report.

— Four years of probation.

— Financial penalties: $50,000 fine, plus 10 percent of the budget for the football team, a fine equivalent to the expected loss of all postseason competition revenue for the 2025 and 2026 football seasons, a fine equivalent to 10 percent of scholarships awarded to football players in the 2025-26 academic year.

— 25 percent reduction in football official visits during the 2025-26 season.

— 14-week prohibition on recruiting communications in the football program during the probation period.

— Connor Stalions receives an eight-year show-cause order, restricting him from all athletic activities during the show-cause period.

— Jim Harbaugh receives a 10-year show-cause order, restricting him from all athletic activities during the show-cause period, beginning on Aug. 7, 2028, at the end of his four-year show-cause order from a previous case.

— Denard Robinson, former Michigan quarterback and associate director of player personnel during the sign-stealing period, receives a three-year show-cause order, restricting him from athletic activities during the show-cause period.

— Sherrone Moore receives a two-year show-cause order, during which he’ll be suspended for a total of three games, including the two games Michigan self-imposed for the 2025 football season against Central Michigan and Nebraska.

— The NCAA panel determined another one-game suspension was adequate for Moore, which he will serve for the first game of the 2026 football season.

— Moore will not be prohibited from engaging in coaching or other athletic activities during the show-cause period.

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