The University of Michigan announced it will appeal the NCAA’s punishment for its cheating scandal. I am not surprised that they are appealing the outcome. That’s just more greed by the Wolverines at this point. Michigan is lucky they didn’t have to vacate any wins or their most recent national championship.
Michigan got off easy compared to the way the NCAA has treated other programs in the past for doing much less than they did. This scandal is one of those where Michigan might not be the only team doing what they did, but the Wolverines got caught. It’s also a bad look for a guy like Jim Harbaugh, who this really does not impact since he’s in the NFL now. The NCAA treatment of this scandal shows if you have money, you can get away with cheating.
Financial Focus
Michigan’s primary grievance, as noted by The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach, is the “severity of the financial penalties,” which could top $30 million—far exceeding the previous record fine of $8 million against Tennessee. Critics might argue Michigan, with its massive $266.3 million athletic budget and Big Ten revenue, can absorb the hit. Appealing to avoid paying what amounts to a fraction of their resources might seem like penny-pinching, especially when the fines replace a postseason ban that would’ve hurt players more. It could look like Michigan wants to protect its coffers rather than accept responsibility for a scandal that tainted its 2023 National Championship, as some rivals claim.
Precedent and Perception
The appeal might be seen as tone-deaf, given the public sentiment calling the penalties a “slap on the wrist” for “cheating at its highest level.” Michigan’s push to reduce penalties fuels perceptions of arrogance, reinforcing the “untouchable” narrative some Big Ten coaches and fans expressed to CBS Sports. By fighting the ruling, Michigan risks looking like they’re minimizing a scheme that involved disguises (Conor Stalions on Central Michigan’s sideline), deleted evidence and a “KGB” scouting network, which could further damage their reputation. Michigan was already on probation from a 2021 recruiting violation case, making them a repeat offender.
The NCAA noted this warranted a postseason ban, but they opted for fines instead. Appealing penalties tailored to avoid punishing current players might seem like Michigan is pushing its luck, especially when the NCAA could’ve vacated the 2023 title or banned the Wolverines from postseason play, as rivals like Ohio State and Michigan State expected. The NCAA’s decision to avoid a postseason ban reflects a broader shift away from punishing current athletes for past staff actions. Michigan might argue the financial penalties are inconsistent with this philosophy, essentially punishing the program’s future without clear evidence tying the violations to specific competitive advantages.
Michigan could also point to the NCAA’s lengthy process—nearly two years—as evidence of an outdated enforcement system, as Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti suggested. Michigan’s appeal could focus on reducing penalties for head coach Sherrone Moore, who faces a three-game suspension and a two-year show-cause order for deleting texts with Stalions.
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