ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan Wolverines football program faced NCAA penalties Friday after a lengthy investigation into the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scheme.
The NCAA announced a three-game suspension for head coach Sherrone Moore, show-cause orders for assistants Connor Stallions and Jim Harbaugh, and significant financial penalties.
The punishments surprised some who had expected harsher consequences, such as postseason bans or the vacating of wins.
→ How Michigan football avoided postseason ban despite ‘overwhelming evidence’
Instead, the NCAA focused on financial fines and recruiting penalties, signaling a shift in how college football violations are handled.
Angelique Chengelis of the Detroit News, who has covered the case for nearly two years, said the penalties were in line with her expectations.
“I really didn’t think the NCAA would be capable of a severe punishment,” said Chengelis. “They’re relying on this heavy financial burden. No postseason ban, no vacated wins. I just didn’t see that coming.”
The NCAA made clear that a postseason ban or vacated wins were never on the table.
Financially, the penalties could impact Michigan’s athletic department, which had a football budget of about $72 million last year.
The program will need to explore new revenue streams, such as concerts or advertising at the stadium, to offset the fines.
Chengelis noted that the Big Ten Conference had already suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the 2023 regular season, showing the conference took swift action before the NCAA ruling.
The case highlights a changing landscape in college football enforcement.
“You’re seeing an NCAA that’s really lost a lot of power,” Chengelis said. “The College Football Playoff and television networks are flexing their muscles now. It’s a new era across many fronts.”
Sign-stealing operation
Stalions is accused of breaking NCAA advanced scouting rules by sending acquaintances to games involving future opponents of the Wolverines to gather cellphone footage of sideline signals.
The Big Ten suspended then-head coach Jim Harbaugh for the final three games of the 2023 regular season during the investigation, and Michigan has self-imposed a very specific two-game suspension for current head coach Sherrone Moore this year.
Moore will miss the second and third games of the season against Central Michigan and at Nebraska, as well as the 2026 season opener against Western Michigan in Germany.
The Wolverines didn’t suspend Moore for Weeks 1 and 2 because they are playing under the lights with a potential freshman starting quarterback in Bryce Underwood vs. New Mexico and Oklahoma in Week 2, which is Moore’s alma mater.
--> Michigan football to lean on championship DNA following 2-game suspension of Sherrone Moore
At his press conference on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, Moore declined to comment on the then-anticipated NCAA ruling, stating he was focused on the present.
“TNT. Today, not tomorrow. That’s all I’m worried about,” said Moore.
--> ‘Today, not tomorrow’: 9 insights into Michigan football’s fall camp under head coach Sherrone Moore
Full list of punishments
Here is the full list of punishments for Michigan, Sherrone Moore, and three former staff members:
Michigan football program:
- Four years of probation.
- A $50,000 fine, plus 10%of the budget for the football program.
- A fine equal to the anticipated loss of all postseason competition revenue sharing from the 2025 and 2026 seasons (likely more than $20 million, per reports).
- A fine equal to the cost of 10% of the scholarships awarded to Michigan’s football program for the 2025-26 academic year.
- A 25% reduction in football official visits during the 2025-26 season.
- A 14-week prohibition on recruiting communications in the football program during the probation period.
Sherrone Moore:
- A two-year show cause order.
- He is suspended for a total of three games. This includes the self-imposed suspension for the Central Michigan and Nebraska games in 2025 and includes the first game of 2026, which is against Western Michigan in Germany.
- Apart from the three-game suspension, Moore can coach and engage in other athletic-related activities during his show-cause period.
Jim Harbaugh:
- A 10-year show-cause order that restricts him from all athletically related activities during that period, which begins on Aug. 7, 2028 (when his current show-cause from a previous case ends).
Connor Stalions:
- An eight-year show-cause order restricting him from all athletically related activities.
Denard Robinson:
- A three-year show-cause order restricting him from all athletically related activities.
Previous coverage:
--> Michigan football’s Ron Bellamy talks depth, development, Wolverines’ chase for 1,000-yard receiver
--> Michigan football’s Lamar Morgan talks player versatility, recruiting strategy, championship culture
--> Michigan football offensive line coach Grant Newsome shares 9 key insights from fall camp
--> Michigan football: 8 key takeaways from head coach Sherrone Moore’s offseason outlook
--> Michigan football DC Wink Martindale talks building from ground up as fall camp kicks off
--> Wolverines fall camp: Michigan football OC Chip Lindsey talks QB depth, WR growth, O-line chemistry
--> ‘We’re ready to put on a show’: Michigan football’s Sherrone Moore sets tone at Big Ten Media Day