In what promises to be the most intriguing Big Ten football match of 2023 thus far, Penn State will play Michigan on Saturday. However, there is one crucial question that needs to be answered right away:
Will Jim Harbaugh be coaching the Wolverines? Over the weekend, a number of media sites claimed that the Big Ten would suspend or take other action in response to Michigan’s suspected sign-stealing scheme. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti reportedly met with Michigan officials over the weekend to discuss growing concerns among league coaches and athletic directors, according to a number of outlets, including The Athletic.
The Athletic reported that those parties are pressuring Petitti to issue some sort of disciplinary response, perhaps even a suspension, under the conference’s code of conduct. ESPN’s Pete Thamel told Pat McAfee on Saturday that the Big Ten could act within a few days.
This is a red-hot issue for Saturday’s Penn State-Michigan game. Former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions, central to the allegations when he was analyst with the program, reportedly paid at least one person to attend games of Michigan’s Big Ten opponents. That included the Penn State-UMass game at Beaver Stadium in September. Penn State coach James Franklin has said that his program adjusted its signals following its bye week. However, the Lions played UMass after that bye week, potentially bringing those new signals into play.
So this should be a compelling week building toward one of the biggest games at Beaver Stadium in years. Here’s the first look at Penn State-Michigan.
PENN STATE (8-1) VS. MICHIGAN (9-0)
When: Noon ET Saturday
Where: Beaver Stadium TV: FOX Streaming: FuboTV (start your free trial)
