Michigan sanctioned by NCAA

NCAA fines Michigan more than 30 million and imposes show-cause penalties on staff after a multi-year advanced scouting operation.

Michigan hit with heavy sanctions in sign stealing case

The NCAA Committee on Infractions ruled that Michigan operated an advanced scouting program from 2021 through 2023 that included off campus scouting and filming of opponents signals. The school faces fines that could exceed 30 million and a range of penalties, including a two-game suspension for head coach Sherrone Moore in 2026 and show-cause penalties for Connor Stalions (eight years) and Jim Harbaugh (ten years, starting after a current four-year period). No postseason ban or vacating of wins was imposed.

Penalties also include an eight-year show-cause for Stalions and a ten-year show-cause for Harbaugh. In addition, the institution faces a 50,000 dollar initial fine, 10 percent of the football budget, 10 percent of football scholarships for 2025, and the loss of all postseason competition revenue sharing for 2025 and 2026. The 2026 season opener is expected to be against Western Michigan in Frankfurt, Germany. Outside of the head coach suspension, most other staffers involved in the case are no longer in college football.

The ruling signals a shift in NCAA enforcement away from postseason bans toward financial penalties and show-cause employment bans. It shows how the governance landscape is evolving as enforcement power shifts to newer bodies and as case law from different eras shapes penalties. The case also highlights how a dramatic staff-driven scheme can become a national talking point and alter a program's public image.

For Michigan, the penalties reach beyond money. They threaten recruiting leverage, staff stability, and the team’s preparation culture. Harbaugh now faces a long-running employment barrier, while Stalions becomes a cautionary tale about how ambition can collide with oversight. The result may reverberate through college football as schools reassess risk, detection, and accountability.

Highlights

The NCAA case may foreshadow how future enforcement blends penalties with reputational risk and budgetary consequences.