Michigan staffer reportedly bought but didn't use Ohio State-Penn State tickets

COLUMBUS — Connor Stalions, the Michigan staffer tied to the alleged sign-stealing undertaking, bought tickets in his own name for at least 30 games across 11 different Big Ten schools over the last three years, including last week’s Ohio State-Penn State matchup, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Mark Schlabach.

Thamel and Schlabach reported that none of the tickets the 11 schools told ESPN about were for Michigan games. Instead, they were for games involving future Michigan opponents, sources told ESPN.

Stalions had purchased tickets on both sides of Ohio Stadium for this past weekend’s top-10 clash between Ohio State and Penn State — schools Michigan plays on Nov. 25 and Nov. 11, respectively — but didn’t end up using them for Saturday’s matinee, per Thamel and Schlabach’s report.

Stalions was suspended with pay by Michigan on Friday after the Wolverines analyst was considered a person of interest in a NCAA investigation into potential scouting violations by No. 2 Michigan, as reported by ESPN last week. While in-game sign “stealing,” or decoding, is legal and considered gamesmanship, teams cannot, under NCAA rules, scout future opponents in person at games. That rule has existed since 1994.

Thamel and Schlabach cited their sources in reporting that Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing operation “includes both video evidence of electronics prohibited by the NCAA to steal signs and a significant paper trail.”

In other words, as Thamel and Schlabach pointed out, Michigan would have violated Article 11 subsection H of the NCAA rulebook: “Any attempt to record, either through audio or video means, any signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personnel is prohibited,” as cited in the ESPN report.

“I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment,” Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said in a statement Thursday. “I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action.”

Michigan is under a separate NCAA investigation into an alleged recruiting violation, which is alleged to have occurred during the COVID-19 dead period. After Harbaugh was accused of failing to cooperate with the NCAA investigation, Michigan issued a self-imposed suspension for Harbaugh, which he served the first three games of the 2023 season.

Subscribe for the latest Ohio State news…

Are you ready to get all your latest Ohio State news in one place? Become a member of Lettermen Row today. With your Lettermen Row/On3+ membership, you’ll not only have access to everything that’s happening with the Buckeyes, but you’ll also be able to peruse other fan sites within the network to hear just how rivals are feeling about Ohio State, as well. Make sure to follow along on X, Instagram and on Youtube for all the latest Buckeyes news you need to know.