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Michigan will learn its NCAA fate over Signgate Friday — the latest

Chris Balasby: Chris Balas08/14/25Balas_Wolverine
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel © Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press, Detroit Free Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel © Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel © Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press, Detroit Free Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The NCAA will present its ruling on its case vs. Michigan involving Connor Stalions’ alleged illegal scouting operation Friday, as expected. The NCAA is expected to hold a news conference early tomorrow afternoon to detail the findings, sources told ESPN.

COLUMN: Michigan football NCAA ruling expected soon — is there optimism?

As noted yesterday, those closest to it and others who have covered it closely over the last few years say the same thing — they expect a short suspension for head coach Sherrone Moore, a large fine, show causes for Harbaugh and Stalions, maybe some recruiting restrictions … all things we’ve reported we expect. Nobody credible has suggested it will be anything other than that, though one closest to it did say last month, “other than [no postseason ban or vacated wins], I don’t know what the NCAA is going to do.”

The decision is expected to go public around 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. The Committee on Infractions (COI) panel will make a recommendation for punishment that Michigan will have a right to appeal if they don’t agree with it. As it stands, Michigan has already responded to the Notice of Allegations that the NCAA “grossly overreached and “wildly overcharged” the program without clear evidence of wrongdoing.

Stalions allegedly scouted one game in person, a violation of NCAA rules, and reportedly had others at several games. The university alleged much of his sign-stealing operation was accomplished legally and didn’t provide an unfair advantage — Stalions resigned in November 2023.

Michigan, meanwhile, proposed a two-game suspension and some recruiting restrictions last month to help appease the NCAA, suggesting games three and four (Central Michigan at home, Nebraska on the road). The ruling will almost certainly include a short suspension for Moore tied to deleting Stalions’ texts when the story broke, though it’s not certain which games.

The bottom line — this will be over soon, unless Michigan chooses to appeal the ruling. Stay tuned to TheWolverine.com for more on this story in the hours and days to come.