Will Michigan lose its 2024 national championship? CFB insider clears air around possible penalties

The Michigan Wolverines can't seem to escape the long arm of the NCAA, and first-year coach Sherrone Moore's tenure has barely started but the wounds of the sign-stealing scandal that plagued the program have already been reopened. It emerged a few days ago via a draft notice of allegations that the coach who replaced Jim Harbaugh is facing Level Two violations of the NCAA bylaws.

In the draft allegation, Moore is alleged to have deleted up to 62 messages with the Wolverines staffer at the center of the controversy, Connor Stallions. The messages were recovered but could still contribute to a show-cause penalty for the coach.

On ESPN's "Get Up" on Monday, popular analyst Pete Thamel clarified the stance of the NCAA towards snatching away the Wolverines' national championship and the fate of their first-year coach (Timestamp: 2:45).

"So, I think Sherrone Moore faces a short suspension if you look at the history of this stuff at the maximum," Thamel said. "To go through sort of the matrix of what could happen to Michigan in this, I don't think they're going to have any type of postseason ban.

"I don't think looking at history, looking at past precedent in this, there's going to be any type of retroactive – anything to what they've already won and accomplished. Their accomplishments are safe. There's no player's eligibility at stake in this."

Paul Finebaum defends Michigan and blasts NCAA

When the news of the Wolverines' sign-stealing scandal broke, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum was firmly on the side of the program getting a huge punishment, even going as far as saying that he wouldn't acknowledge any championship.

During a recent appearance on ESPN's "Get Up," Finebaum changed tack while addressing the issue of the charges against coach Sherrone Moore, instead choosing to go after the NCAA.

“Let’s not forget that Charlie Baker, the president of the NCAA — and this may sound out of context, because it probably is — but after Michigan won the national championship, he said they won fair and square," Finebaum said.

"I remember that, and I think a lot of lawyers are going to remember that too if this case goes very far and puts Michigan in the crosshairs. In the big picture of college athletics, nobody respects the NCAA.”

Michigan Wolverines fans will wait for the other shoe to drop in a case that has tainted the air of celebration in Ann Arbor after the program won its first national championship since 1997.