Ohio State defeated Michigan during the college football game in Ann Arbor on Saturday. However, there are unanswered questions about a communications failure triggered by multiple unexpected and unsolved power outages on the Buckeyes’ sideline.
A new video has emerged from the weekend that shows a heated altercation between two rival staffers.
It is entirely unclear as to whether this tense moment had anything to do with the latest college football scandal that involves the Wolverines. It could be much ado about nothing but it does look suspicious.
Why was there a man wearing maize and blue on the visitor’s sideline?!
Ohio State repeatedly lost power during the college football game.
Say what you will about Connor Stalions and the sign-stealing shenanigans in 2023, but it changed the sport forever in a very good way. No longer are teams required to use hand signals to call plays on offense or to set the defense.
College football finally adopted in-helmet communications prior to last season. Coaches are able to communicate with one player on offense, the quarterback, and one player on defense, typically the middle linebacker, until there are 15 seconds left on the play clock. Any additional hand signals (which still exist) are to help the other players on the field with routes or coverage. Things like that.
That leads us to Saturday at The Big House.
The power went out multiple times on the Ohio State sideline. It interrupted the Buckeyes’ ability to communicate with the coaches box and the players. They lost connection to their headsets. This is how it was reported by Fox during the fourth quarter— after it had already happened throughout the game:
**OSU headsets die mid-Game🎧🕵️
— Intrinsic (@intrinsicvalyou) November 29, 2025
The same Michigan program that ran a 3-year illegal sign-stealing op nicknamed ‘KGB’ now benefits from total comms blackout on the Buckeye sideline 👀 #MichiganCheats pic.twitter.com/6Kwu8Mbng3
Adam King of WBNS/CBS10 was the first to discover this recurring issue.
“Side plot – multiple times this game the power has gone out on the Buckeyes sideline,” he wrote. “It has interrupted OSU and they’re communicating with the coaches in the box.”
He also posted a video that reveals a potential person (or people) of interest.
Why was a Michigan staffer on the visitor’s sideline?
The video primarily shows the Ohio State coaching staff trying to figure out what happened to their power. They are visibly confused.
However, it is the background of the video that might be most interesting. A man with a maize and blue Michigan beanie can be seen in discussion with one of the Buckeyes coaches.
Side plot – multiple times this game the power has gone out on the Buckeyes sideline.
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) November 29, 2025
It has interrupted OSU and they’re communicating with the coaches in the box pic.twitter.com/wi2nfXmwQk
An alternate angle of that same moment reveals an intense argument between multiple staffers from both teams. A nearby police officer had to make sure it did not escalate.
Perhaps these men were arguing about the logistics of the comms setup. Perhaps they were yelling about the food scene in Ann Arbor. I don’t know.
With that being said, the optics of an in-helmet communication issue during a rivalry game that involves the most notorious sign-stealers in college football history are ironic at the very least. Ohio State fans think there was some tomfoolery afoot!