The Nebraska football team already knew that when it faces the Michigan Wolverines, Sherrone Moore won't be on the sidelines. What the Huskers and the rest of the Big Ten didn't know is what other punishments would come down from the NCAA for his and the rest of the UM coaching staff's repeatedly lying, cheating, and covering up their actions for years. Despite the NCAA repeatedly laying out how staff members and even administration officials destroyed evidence, were openly hostile to investigators, and lied about almost everything, the Wolverines are essentially getting a slap on the wrist.
At first glance, the punishment looks like it carries a heavy weight. Some fines could equal as much as $30 million. Jim Harbaugh will also almost certainly never coach in the college ranks again, as he's got show cause orders in place until 2038. Connor Stallions, the guy who led the sign-stealing scheme, has his own show cause for eight years, as if any college would ever touch him.
Nebraska's game vs Michigan is a more important win in 2025
As for Sherrone Moore, he's already suspended (by Michigan as a way to try and head off NCAA punishment) for Michigan's games against the Nebraska football team and Central Michigan this year. The NCAA handed down another game suspension for Moore in 2026. But it's what the Wolverines didn't get as punishment and why that should outrage college football fans.
The NCAA says there were sufficient grounds for a multiyear postseason ban. "However, the panel determined that a postseason ban would unfairly penalize student-athletes for the actions of coaches and staff who are no longer associated with the Michigan football program."
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 15, 2025
The NCAA often relayed that Michigan had done enough to be banned from postseason play this year at the very least. However, despite the fact that Moore was found to have repeatedly lied to investigators and even deleted incriminating text messages with Stallions, the organization didn't want to punish students for things done in previous seasons.
Four years of probation, hefty financial penalties and show-cause penalties for Michigan.
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) August 15, 2025
The official list of penalties from the NCAA after concluding its sign-stealing investigation: pic.twitter.com/CNAipSnosN
They arrived at this lenient viewpoint despite the fact that the NCAA routinely doles out that sort of punishment. That includes Akron, which is banned from the postseason this year because of previous players getting bad grades.
Missouri's football, baseball, and basketball teams were banned from the 2019 postseason because a tutor who did coursework for 12 student-athletes.
None of this changes things for the Nebraska football program. They still need to find a way to beat Michigan because it will be the first big matchup and Big Ten tilt of the season. But the message sent by the NCAA is clear. Cheat as much as you want, and as long as most of the people who did cheat move on, you'll get away with it. And winning a national title is worth the fine.