College GameDay blasts NCAA for allowing Michigan to choose which games to suspend Sherrone Moore

In August, the NCAA concluded its investigation into Michigan‘s sign-stealing scandal. The NCAA leveled Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore, who was the team’s offensive coordinator at the time of the alleged cheating, with a two-year show-cause order and three-game suspension.

Alas, Michigan got ahead of the punishment, self-suspending Moore in Weeks 3 and 4 of this season. On the College GameDay podcast, ESPN’s Dan Wetzel tore into the NCAA for allowing Michigan to choose which games Moore was suspended.

“He deserves a three-game suspension, right? Three games. But Michigan wisely already said, ‘No, no, we’re going to suspend him two. We’re going to suspend him two games. But, we get to let him choose. We choose which two games,'” Wetzel said. “Not Games 1, 2, 3, or 1 and 2, which would have cost him the Oklahoma game. ‘We’re going to let him choose next week, Central Michigan and then at Nebraska.’

“Rece, you’re a father of teenagers. When you ground one of your teenagers — I’m sure your children are perfectly behaved and never has to happen — but you don’t let them pick the weekends that they get grounded. ‘You’re grounded for two weekends.’ ‘OK, I’d like to choose November when we visit grandma on the farm. There’s nothing to do there.'”

Moore coached in Michigan’s season-opener and Week 2 showdown against Oklahoma. Judging from rankings, the Sooners should be Michigan’s toughest opponent in the first four weeks of its season.

Although Moore coached against Oklahoma, the Wolverines still fell 24-13. As part of Michigan’s self-suspension, Moore will not be allowed to participate in any team activities from Sept. 13-20. He is also suspended for Michigan’s season-opener next season.

On Monday, Moore revealed Biff Poggi will serve as Michigan’s interim coach while he’s suspended. Poggi joined the Wolverines’ staff this season after spending two years as Charlotte‘s head coach. Wetzel believes the NCAA allowed Michigan to choose which games Moore was suspended because it wanted to push the storyline of Moore facing off against Oklahoma.

“You don’t get to choose. But in college football, this huge thing that cost a three-game suspension, pretty significant — no, you get to pick,” Wetzel said. “The NCAA goes along with it. They go along with it, all because we want Sherrone Moore to coach against his alma mater in Oklahoma..

“He gets two games this year, one next year. He’s got one on layaway. Weirdest penalty. Everybody looks like a fool in this thing. The NCAA looks completely emasculated. Michigan actually looks pretty smart.”