Stephen A. Smith questions NCAA's Michigan penalty, calls for confiscation of championship

The NCAA put the hammer to Michigan over an alleged sign-stealing scandal, fining the program heavily going forward. It did not, however, touch the program’s 2023 national title.

Michigan is allowed to publicly claim the title it won on the field, a reversal from some previous NCAA rulings on infractions that stripped wins and vacated titles. But not everyone is on board with that assessment.

“If the NCAA verified and you’re on national TV right now confirming the obvious that Michigan cheated, why shouldn’t there be a discussion as to the legitimacy of their national championship?” ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith said on First Take on Wednesday. “They cheated.”

While Urban Meyer has said that the NCAA enforcement arm no longer exists, others have also bemoaned the lack of action from the NCAA on the title front. Smith doubled down on his take.

“If they cheated and all of us are sitting here and acknowledging that a fine that could exceed anywhere from $20 to $30 million, recruiting (sanctions), a budget trim, confiscation of postseason profits, etc.” Smith said. “If all of that is a matter of fact and it is clear that they cheated, why are we not having a discussion about their championship banner being confiscated?”

Michigan to appeal NCAA ruling

Michigan received four years of probation as a result of the investigation, which centered on former analyst Connor Stalions – who received an eight-year show-cause order. Head coach Sherrone Moore received an additional game of suspension in 2026 in addition to a two-year show-cause.

UM will also pay a fine of $50,000 plus 10% of the football program’s budget. The school will also pay a fine “equal to the anticipated loss of postseason competition revenue-sharing from 2025 and 2026,” and the equivalent to 10% of scholarships awarded for 2025-26.

Former head coach Jim Harbaugh also received a 10-year show-cause while former assistant Denard Robinson got a three-year show-cause. In addition, the Wolverines will see a 25% reduction in football official visits for 2025-26 and have a 14-week prohibition on football recruiting communications.

After the NCAA announced the punishments against Michigan, school officials responded. The university plans to appeal the ruling, it said in a statement.

“We appreciate the work of the Committee on Infractions,” UM’s statement read. “But, respectfully, in a number of instances the decision makes fundamental errors in interpreting NCAA bylaws; and it includes a number of conclusions that are directly contrary to the evidence — or lack of evidence — in the record. We will appeal this decision to ensure a fair result, and we will consider all other options.”

On3’s Nick Schultz also contributed to this report.