National Media Takes Cheap Shot at Michigan State Amidst Michigan Allegations

Michigan State's arch-rival Michigan had a well-renowned sports media personality backing up its former coach, Jim Harbaugh, in wake of the latest revelations from the sign-stealing and recruiting investigations.

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

Turmoil has continued to follow Michigan State's arch-rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, as new information regarding their sign-stealing and recruiting violations has recently surfaced.

In wake of a draft of the NOA (notice of allegations) concerning the sign-stealing violations Michigan is expected to receive from the NCAA being revealed by ESPN, Harbaugh recently told reporters, "I do not apologize. I did not participate, not aware nor complicit in those said allegations."

Sports media personality Colin Cowherd came to Harbaugh's defense on his show, "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," on Tuesday, while also bringing down Michigan State in his monologue.

"Day 1 on Jim Harbaugh's Michigan watch, they were going after him," Cowherd said. "And you know who was really going after him? Michigan State and Ohio State. They're the ones getting all riled up here, as Harbaugh started rolling them. ... He was a target Day 1. I know what my eyes told me. Michigan built a powerhouse based on all of Harbaugh's career principles -- physicality, intensity, every day at practice matters.

"I still don't know what Ohio State's offense is. It's pretty. It's not physical. I don't know what Michigan State is either, other than a gigantic tire fire. But I know what Harbaugh's teams are, and I know what Jim Harbaugh is."

Much of Cowherd's argument was centered around what he believed to be overblown violations. That's fine; maybe some of them were. You don't have to agree with the level of severity the violations were classified as.

As far as the Michigan State claims go, however, Cowherd's statements are just wrong.

First of all, we don't even know the extent of Michigan State's involvement in the allegations, if any. And if the program was upset, it was probably because Michigan's former staffer, Connor Stalions, was quite literally disguised on Central Michigan's sidelines in the Spartans' contest against the Chippewas last season. Not because Harbaugh was "rolling them."

It wouldn't seem Michigan State would have much to gain from trying to take down Harbaugh for its blowout losses to Michigan over the past two seasons when Michigan State was dealing with off-field issues itself. Not to mention, the Spartans' probably had more on-field problems to worry about than losing to Harbaugh, as Michigan State has collected an embarassing total of just nine wins over the last two years.

Cowherd would go on to say that the sign-stealing and recruiting allegations mean nothing to anyone other than Michigan State and Ohio State.

"If you think people really care about this outside of Columbus and East Lansing, bring up Pete Carroll's name in L.A.," he said. "Nobody cares. It's all: He won games, he changed kids' lives, he was optimistic, he was amazing for the city of Los Angeles. Nobody cares about the Reggie Bush nonsense. Nobody cares about this, either, outside of Columbus and East Lansing."

Interesting. When there's a possibility that the reigning national champions committed violations on their way to the title, I'm sure there are a lot of programs besides Michigan's rivals that care.

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