Lack of Institutional Control
Michigan Cheating Scandal is bigger than we can imagine
As the college football season enters its last month, teams should be looking forward to rivalry games, a push for conference championships and Playoff dreams. But a pall has fallen on this pretty remarkable season. We’ve talk about the welcome parity in college football this year that has brought much needed refreshment to the typical four teams who dominate the headlines. But the Michigan sign stealing scandal threatens to wrestle every headline for the remainder of the season.
We talked about this on the show. Jim Harbaugh continues to deny and take no responsibility for something a member of his staff was obviously involved with. The Big 10 coaches yesterday questioned Big 10 Commissioner Tony Petitti after their weekly conference call as to what the conference plans to do about this. The coaches want resolution before the season ends. Michigan is prime position to play in not only the conference title game but then be in the top 4 of the Playoff rankings. There is mounting evidence that the Wolverines may be guilty of what they are being accused of. It’s outlandish what they’ve been accused of. And unfortunately for them their on field record since the recorded start of this has been an amazing 33-3. Before the time frame of the cheating scandal the previous three year period was a record of 21-11. The coaches have questions where would they be recruiting and records wise if Michigan didn’t know what plays were coming?
Jim Harbaugh has always been a defiant figure to the NCAA and any accusations levied against him. But he was suspended for breaking recruiting rules this season. And now this? Saying you know nothing about this, to me is the definition of Lack of Institutional Control. This is unacceptable. And the saddest part of this will be when Michigan and the players there are left holding the bag when Harbaugh leaves for the NFL after this season. His legacy will be one of crippling his “beloved” program. The want or need to win is always great at any school but not at the cost of the University’s soul.
The Big 10 has a problem. The College Football Playoff committee has a problem. Michigan is a good football team. They’ve earned their spot in the rankings. Or have they? And that will be the question that hovers over them for the rest of this season. Teams going forward will have new signs that they won’t know. If Michigan falls to Penn State this weekend and Ohio State at the end of the year the persistent thought will be that they couldn’t cheat and now they can’t win. But if they win it may not be any better. The accusations will fly.
I don’t envy the Big 10 right now, but they may have to make a decision that reverberates for years. But that decision will need to be made and lived with. It’s unfortunate this is what we’re talking about instead of SEC division title races and PAC rivals. Upsets are what make college football so exciting but this scandal may upset the entire college football apple cart for this season.