How Michigan has rallied behind sign-stealing allegations on the field

Michigan‘s ongoing sign-stealing investigation is rightfully taking up a lot of the discourse currently surrounding their football program. But on the field, the Wolverines have continued to be dominant, fresh off of a 41-13 win over Purdue to extend their perfect record to 9-0.

Michigan’s off-the-field controversy seems to have had no impact on their performance on the field, and The Wolverine’s Anthony Broome discussed with Andy Staples how it’s possibly even had a positive effect on their performance.

“I know it’s cliche, but I get the sense that they’ve kind of rallied around it and internalized it,” Broome said. “Which is something that I think again, regardless of what people think about how this program has turned things around over the last two years, I think that’s a big part of it in terms of the culture that’s been built is there player’s ability not even block out the noise, they see everything, they read everything, and they find a way to internalize that and weaponize that.”

Coaches and players alike use a variety of different tactics to keep themselves sharp and motivated. And whatever is working in Ann Arbor has done the trick amid the distractions surrounding their sign-stealing investigation, as the Wolverines aren’t just undefeated, but boast the nation’s top-scoring defense and No. 5 scoring offense.

“It’s a different type of adversity that the other teams have faced, and that’s not something you can quantify and punch into a computer and the College Football Playoff will necessarily take that into account,” Broome said. “But to me, this season I’ve seen this group play its best football when the questions or the noise has been the loudest, and heading into this game on Saturday afternoon, that feels like where things are heading.”

No matter the opponent, time, or place the Wolverines have been the epitome of dominance this season, leading all of college football in point differential this year beating opponents by an average of 34 points per game. But their tallest task of the season awaits them this weekend as they face No. 11 Penn State on the road, marking their first-ranked opponent of the season.

“Based on everything we know right now I think that Michigan is ready for that challenge. And that fact that you kind of had a game against Purdue where you play your C, C+ game even and still walk out of there with a blowout, walk out of there with a lot of things to put on film and focus on this week,” Broome said. “I think this is a really good spot for Michigan to kind of bounce back from not just everything that’s been going on but cement itself as on of the best teams in the country.”

The entire college football landscape will learn if the Wolverines can remain as consistent and focused as they have been all season long versus an elite opponent this Saturday, as they face Penn State at noon ET in a game airing on FOX.