Michigan staffer tied to sign-stealing scandal bought ticket to Clemson game, reports say

Chapel Fowler
·2 min read
11

Connor Stalions, the Michigan football analyst suspended amid an NCAA investigation into alleged signal stealing within the program, reportedly had Clemson in his sights.

Multiple outlets, including TigerIllustrated, reported Tuesday that Stalions bought a ticket for a 2022 Clemson football home game as the Tigers emerged as a College Football Playoff contender — and potential Michigan opponent — midway through last season.

Stalions purchased one ticket for Clemson’s Oct. 22, 2022 home game against Syracuse, according to the TigerIllustrated report. The ticket for that matchup of AP Top 15 teams never got scanned, according to the website, meaning Stalions (or someone working on his behalf) ultimately didn’t “redeem” the ticket at a gate entrance and enter/attend the game.

After an 8-0 start and No. 4 spot in the first 2022 College Football Playoff rankings, the Tigers ended up falling out of the CFP race with regular-season losses to unranked Notre Dame and South Carolina, nullifying any chance of a game against Michigan.

The Clemson athletic department had no comment on reports linking Stalions to a Clemson football game, a spokesperson told The State on Wednesday.

The Big Ten Conference announced last week that Michigan, currently 8-0 and ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25, is under NCAA investigation for the alleged sign-stealing scandal, which has grown wider in scope since Yahoo Sports initially broke the story last week.

ESPN, as of Tuesday, “has confirmed that Stalions has purchased tickets to more than 35 games at 17 stadiums around the country” and “used a network of at least three people (across the country), who were forwarded the tickets to attend games,” per the website.

Leading into Tuesday’s reports, most of the allegations surrounding Stalions, a retired U.S. Marines Corps captain and off-field analyst for Michigan, had been confined to conference games. ESPN reported Tuesday that 12 of the other 13 schools in the Big Ten had records of Stalions buying a ticket for one of their games.

Soon after the TigerIllustrated report confirming Stalions bought a Clemson ticket, ESPN reported there were records of Stalions buying tickets for the 2021 and 2022 SEC championship games. Alabama beat Georgia in the 2021 SEC title game (the Bulldogs went on to rout Michigan in a CFP semifinal), and Georgia beat LSU in the 2022 SEC title game.

Picking up on other teams’ signals during a game isn’t expressly banned — former Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables was considered one of the better people in the country at doing that — but Stalions’ alleged actions run afoul of two NCAA rules banning scouting in opposing stadiums and recording signals from opposing coaches, player and personnel via video and audio.

Stalions has been suspended with pay by Michigan pending the outcome of the NCAA investigation. VegasInsider.com currently lists coach Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines, who’ve won back-to-back Big Ten championships, as the betting favorites to win the 2023 national championship.