ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith Calling For Michigan To Be Banned From College Football Playoffs Until Sign-Stealing Investigation Is Complete

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ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith doesn’t think Michigan should be in the college football playoffs while under investigation.

On Monday, the Big Ten sent Michigan notice that they could face punishment after allegations surfaced that a low-level staffer was personally going to games to scout other teams’ signals, which is illegal under current NCAA bylines.

Via ESPN

The Big Ten formally notified Michigan that it could be facing disciplinary action from the league, a Michigan official told ESPN.

The letter sent to Michigan is part of the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy, which requires a notice of disciplinary action “in the event it becomes clear that an institution is likely to be subjected to disciplinary action.” The NCAA is investigating Michigan for illegal off-campus scouting and signal stealing, but Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti has the authority to impose discipline under the sportsmanship policy before the lengthy NCAA investigative and infractions process concludes.

The Big Ten’s letter alludes to evidence of the illegal signal stealing, which compromised competitive integrity and other principles of the sportsmanship policy, according to sources.

During the latest edition of ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A Smith called for Michigan to be banned from the college football playoffs until the Big Ten’s investigation is complete.

“The Michigan Wolverines should be banned from the College Football playoffs until the investigation is complete. You do not get to the college football playoff and rob potentially another institution of getting one of those final four spots , if the possibility is open that you cheated to get your way there.”

“The fact that the investigation is still open is nonsensical to me; it makes no sense, expedite the process, reach a conclusion, tell me they didn’t do it, I’m fine with it, tell me there’s not enough evidence to validate they did it, I’m fine, but as long as the investigation is open, there’s no way on Earth that you can have the Michigan Wolverines going to the college football playoff when it is possible that they may have had somebody working for them traveling around working for them stealing signs giving them an unfair advantage.”

Michigan has already indicated that they plan to pursue legal action if any suspensions handed down to them by the Big Ten.