Michigan’s Infractions – “Sign Stealing” Scandal

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Travis Normand

by Travis Normand
August 18, 2025

In case you haven’t been paying attention, the NCAA’s infraction report on the University of Michigan was released on August 15, 2025. You can read the whole report HERE.

Whether you read the official NCAA decision, or any of the numerous articles (see below) that have been posted about it, you will see that the punishments handed down by the NCAA include some heavy monetary penalties and several “show-cause” orders.

However, what is missing from the list of punishments was any kind of post-season ban, vacating of wins, or anything else of that nature. This appears to be a fundamental shift in how the NCAA will regulate and punish football programs going forward as while NCAA has given monetary punishments and “show-cause” orders before, I don’t remember seeing any that were this big.

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Chicago vs. Michigan Rivalry

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Travis Normand

by Travis Normand
May 15, 2017

I recently stumbled upon an amazing Wikipedia page that is dedicated to the history of the football rivalry between the University of Chicago (Maroons) and the University of Michigan (Wolverines). If you enjoy the history of college football, I would highly recommend this abbreviated historical overview. You can visit the page by clicking HERE.

In the early 1900s, the rivalry between Chicago and Michigan was fierce and included legendary coaches Amos Alonzo Stagg and Fielding H. Yost. The rivalry was so important that Michigan’s 1898 victory over Chicago served as the spark for Michigan’s fight song (this victory inspired Michigan student Louis Elbel to write “The Victors“).

However, the 1905 game, and the tragic events that followed, remind me of the quote by UCLA’s head football coach, Henry Russell Sanders, who said “[I]t’s not a matter of life and death, it’s more important than that!”

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