Central Michigan denies receiving NCAA Notice of Allegations for sign-stealing scandal

Earlier this week, the NCAA updated its online dashboard for ongoing investigations into pending Division I infraction cases to show it issued a Notice of Allegations to Central Michigan on June 27 stemming from its alleged part in Michigan‘s 2023 sign-stealing scandal involving infamous ex-staffer Connor Stalions. That prompted multiple media outlets, including On3, to report on the NCAA’s latest update to its investigation into CMU.

Well, as it turns out, the Chippewas are disputing that it has actually received the NCAA’s NOA, and instead acknowledged the program is “working with the NCAA toward a negotiated resolution.”

“We are aware that the NCAA has updated its online infractions dashboard for parties contesting their allegations,” the Central Michigan statement read, according to the Detroit News‘ Tony Paul. “CMU has not received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA because it is working with the NCAA toward a negotiated resolution. We have been working collaboratively with the NCAA since Fall 2023, and we look forward to bringing our matter to a fair conclusion soon.”

According to the NCAA’s online infractions dashboard, the investigation into Central Michigan began Oct. 31, 2023, and has already involved multiple delays due to parties involved providing “false or misleading information” to NCAA investigators. A NCAA review board was held Nov. 21, 2024.

Central Michigan’s involvement in the Michigan sign-stealing scandal likely centers around the program’s involvement in Stalions’ presence on the CMU sidelines during the 2023 season-opener against Michigan State in East Lansing, when Stalions was still employed at Michigan. Stalions, who served as an analyst on the Michigan staff for several seasons, later resigned in Nov. 2023 after reports of his sign-stealing enterprise were discovered.

Former Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain, who retired from his position following the 2024 season for another role within the CMU athletic department, previously denied knowing anything about Stalions’ presence on Michigan State’s visiting sideline for their 2023 game in East Lansing.

“We … were totally unaware of it,” McElwain previously said via CBS. “I certainly don’t condone it in any way, shape, or form, and I do know that his name was on none of the [sideline] passes that were let out.”

The NCAA began its investigation into Michigan in 2023 after allegations of sign-stealing surfaced. Former Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh also served a suspension through the end of the 2023 regular season, handed down by Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti under the league’s sportsmanship policy. In the time since, Michigan won the national championship and Harbaugh left for the Los Angeles Chargers, leading to Sherrone Moore’s elevation to head coach. Moore is currently slated to be suspended for the third and fourth games of Michigan’s 2025 season as part of self-imposed penalties for his involvement in deleting a text message exchange with Stalions after the scandal first broke in 2023.