Desmond Howard spars with Stephen A Smith about whether sign-stealing scandal taints Michigan's season

Michigan is currently in a good spot as it looks to get back to the College Football Playoff for the third consecutive season.

The Wolverines are ranked No. 2 in the CFP poll heading into Saturday’s game against No. 10 Penn State.

With that said, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes Michigan’s season is tainted due to the sign-stealing allegations. He believes the investigation needs to be completed before the start of the playoff.

“Whatever happens moving forward doesn’t erase the allegations that have come to the forefront,” Stephen A Smith said Friday on First Take. “I am not calling for the banishment of Michigan outright. What I’m saying is, you can’t have them going into the College Football Playoffs without the investigation being closed. … You can’t let them go into the College Football Playoffs with the investigation open as to whether or not they were stealing signs and they had gained an unfair advantage against the opposition.”

ESPN analyst Desmond Howard joined Smith on First Take on Friday and made it clear that he feels differently about the matter.

Howard believes that if Michigan wins out, including beating Penn State, Ohio State and two teams in the playoff, there should be no asterisk on this season.

“These games moving forward… now you have no excuses. These teams have had an opportunity to change their signs if need be. We’re three or four weeks into this,” Howard said. “So if they’re able to win this game tomorrow against Penn State and then the last game of the year against No. 1 Ohio State – that’s top 10 Penn State and No. 1 Ohio State, and they’re doing it clean – then they go into the playoff and win the national title — how can you go through that gauntlet, knowing they’ve played these games as clean as possible, because the scandal’s out… but they still win out. That is an incredible run. Of course that’s not tainted. Of course not.”

Stephen A Smith fired back and pointed out that even if Michigan wins out, it doesn’t erase what happened earlier in the season.

If this isn’t resolved before the start of the College Football Playoff, Smith believes it’s unfair to other deserving teams.

“Des, if you were out there committing crimes, and then you decided that you’re going to fly straight and you’re going to be a law-abiding citizen, it doesn’t eradicate the fact that they busted you for the damn crimes that you committed prior to you going straight.

“You’re 9-0 this year. You didn’t go up against any ranked competition. You’re getting ready to go up against Penn State, who is allergic to beating ranked competition. … In the end, you cannot have Michigan going to the College Football Playoff again, at the expense of potentially Washington, Oregon, Alabama, Texas, potentially Florida State. You cannot have them going to the College Football Playoff with the investigation open. You have to close it. Before the College Football Playoff committee chooses the top four teams, you’ve gotta make sure that investigation is closed.”