'They were the better team': Josh Pate doesn't link Michigan's success to Connor Stalions

The Connor Stalions saga has led some to question the legitimacy of the Wolverines' accomplishments on the football field, but CBS Sports' Josh Pate isn't among them...

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy points down the field during the second half of the College Football Playoff national championship game against Washington at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. / Melanie Maxwell / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan football's three-year run of wins over Ohio State, Big Ten championships and eventually a national championship has been called into question by the Connor Stalions sign-stealing saga that rocked the college football world last October.

A new chapter of the Stalions' saga was added earlier this week with an ESPN report based around a leaked draft of the NCAA's notice of allegations to Michigan. While some, most notably fans of Ohio State and Michigan State, have deemed the Wolverines' success tainted and undone by Stalions' actions, many of the sport's top analysts have pushed back on that idea.

One of those is CBS Sports' Josh Pate, who spent a lengthy segment his latest Late Kick w/ Josh Pate podcast discussing the latest update into the situation involving Michigan.

A Michigan football player celebrates the 34-13 win over Washington to win the national championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

"All I can tell you is how I feel about Michigan from last year," Pate said. "There's a world in which Michigan does stuff last year that, in retrospect, taints my opinion of the wins they had. So far, nothing's been put in front of me that does that. I don't doubt they did stuff that's underhanded. I don't doubt that what Connor Stalions did was illegal. I don't doubt any of that. I think it was. I think they'll be punished to some degree for it.

"I don't even care if the NCAA comes out and says, 'Hey, we're stripping you of that win.' ...If I was a Michigan fan, I wouldn't care because I saw it happen. I saw the wins. I was there in the Rose Bowl in overtime when we beat Alabama. I was there in Houston in the national championship. And, oh by the way, I may have even been there when we beat Ohio State for the third straight year. So, I wouldn't care if I'm a Michigan fan because the NCAA can't vacate memories.

"Secondly, and I'm not a Michigan fan, I was at all those games too. I stood on the sidelines for every one of the games I just listed. I don't think Connor Stalions had anything to do with Michigan being able to put together that fourth quarter drive against Ohio State. I don't. I don't believe Connor Stalions had anything to do with Michigan coming from behind with about five and change left and them trailing Alabama and then getting it done with a stop in overtime. I don't think Connor Stalions had anything to do with that. I don't think he had anything to do with them largely owning Washington in the national title game. I just think they were the better team. I think they found a way. I think a lot of guys had there backs against the wall and they executed. And that's how I'll remember it."

Nov 25, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord (6) is hit by Michigan Wolverines defensive end Jaylen Harrell (32) as he throws an interception during the second half of the NCAA football game at Michigan Stadium. Ohio State lost 30-24. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

One of the big questions raised by ESPN's recent report is how the network has routinely been able to acquire inside information into the NCAA's investigation of Michigan. As Pate points out, leaks to the media are not typical of NCAA investigations, but they've been rampant in this case.

Michigan is still waiting for the NCAA's official notice of allegations, which may look different than the draft which ESPN was leaked.

"It strikes me how no one at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis seems particularly concerned that details about one investigation into one university keep leaking at a very disproportionate ratio to investigations in other universities," Pate said. "Does anyone find that odd? Does anyone at NCAA headquarters care that the details of your investigation keep becoming compromised and thrown out into the public arena? Or, are you complicit in that happening?"

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh lifts up the Rose Bowl trophy after 27-20 win over Alabama at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pate theorizes this latest leak of a draft of the NCAA's NOA is tied directly to the upcoming release of Netflix's documentary on Connor Stalions and Michigan, scheduled for release on Aug. 27.

"This timing is very suspicious," Pate said. "The leak is very suspicious. Make no mistake — whether you think Connor Stalions and Michigan are going to have the hammer dropped on them, or one or the other will, or none of them will and it's not a big deal, or maybe you think this is the biggest scandal in your lifetime — the NCAA has a lot of motivation for leaking to who they leak it to, when they leak it. It's 100 percent tied to that documentary that's about to be released."

Pate also theorizes the leak of information is the NCAA's attempt to control the narrative surrounding their investigation into Michigan, an attempt he believes will fail.

"These folks at [NCAA] headquarters in Indianapolis, they still think it's 1997, first off," Pate said. "So, they believe that they can wage wars in this manner. They still believe it's as simple as leaking to a cooperative reporter...they believe it's as easy as, 'Lets leak there and lets get out in advance of everything else that's going to come out and that's it, we can control the narrative.' No you can't! You suck at this! The NCAA is terrible at this...What'd you say if I told you the NCAA may have a whole lot more egg on their faces before this is all said and done than the University of Michigan on this?"

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Darrius Clemons (0) celebrates with the CCFP National Championship trophy after beating the Washington Huskies in the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game at NRG Stadium. / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Many of the potential violations that the NOA draft lists circle around a "non-compliance" with the NCAA's investigative efforts. Among those accussed of such behavior in the draft include former U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh, current head coach Sherrone Moore, former defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale, former linebackers coach Chris Partridge, former assistant director of player personnel Denard Robinson and Stalions himself.

The NCAA can deem an unwillingness to surrender one's personal cellphone, laptop or any other matter of personal property and/or privacy as "non-compliance".

"Be careful, is all I'm saying, about demonizing folks for 'not cooperating' with the NCAA," Pate said. "Sometimes, these people understand that it's a one-way fight — and I'm not sitting here defending Connor Stalions, trust me."

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) lifts the Rose Bowl trophy to celebrate a 27-20 win over Alabama at the 2024 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

While Pate defended Michigan's accomplishments on the football field, and slammed the NCAA for the way it's handled this investigation, the podcast host did call into question the football program's claimed ignorance of Stalions activity.

"There's a big difference in 'Connor Stalions acted alone', which I'm pretty sure he did, versus 'Nobody knew,'" Pate said. "Of course you guys knew. If you're asking me to believe Connor Stalions acted alone, I'm cool with that. Rogue behavior? I'm fine with it. Even if that's not true, you'll be able to pass that off as true and, for the record, I do believe it's true. But if you're asking me to believe no one else knew there, you're asking me to believe you're idiots, and the folks at Michigan are not idiots. So, many of those folks had at least some understanding of what was going on there. Anyone who suggests otherwise is expecting me to be stupid enough to believe that. I'm not stupid enough to believe that."

Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh watches from the sideline beside off-field analyst Connor Stalions, right, during the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. / Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ultimately, more information may come to light which further calls into question Michigan's accomplishments over the past three seasons. However, Pate doesn't believe anything that's become public knowledge is enough to strip the Wolverines of their national championship, their three most recent Big Ten championships or the 40 wins on the football field since the start of the 2021 season.

"If you remember it differently then you go ahead and remember it differently," Pate said. "I'll just say, my strategy on this is I'm going to wait a little bit longer. Because, as I've told you for a while now, I'm totally open to evidence being tossed out there that's not public yet that could change my mind. Still open to that. I just told you how I feel right now. If there's evidence that I don't know about that hasn't been presented publicly yet that's thrown out there that I look at and say, 'Oh, now that's different than what I've seen so far', I may look back and say, 'Yeah, I acknowledge none of that, that entire season's tainted for me now. Tear down that banner and I'm tearing it down in my memory.' Well, I'm not doing that right now. That's not how I feel about it."

The segment of "Late Kick w/ Josh Pate" that this article pulls from can be viewed in its entirety below.

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More Michigan News:

Jim Harbaugh has major response to ESPN's report: 'Today, I do not apologize'

Former Michigan offensive lineman pushes back on Stalions narrative

Paul Finebaum vehemently defends Michigan football: 'Nobody respects the NCAA'

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