Michigan Wolverines Head Coach Jim Harbaugh Suspended For Remainder Of Regular Season

Jim Harbaugh will not be on the sidelines for Ohio State's Week 13 matchup against the Wolverines.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is expected to be suspended for the rest of the regular season. Harbaugh will be allowed to coach during the week.

According to The Action Network, Michigan is expected to seek a temporary restraining order that will allow Harbaugh to coach this Saturday against No. 10 Penn State.

The No. 3 Wolverines take on No. 1 Ohio State at Michigan Stadium on Nov. 25 at Noon E.T., for what could decide the Big Ten East division.

The Big Ten's punishment comes after commissioner Tony Petitti sent Michigan a notice of disciplinary action as required by the sportsmanship policy "in the event it becomes clear that an institution is likely to be subjected to" penalties.

The suspension comes from the NCAA's investigation of the sign-stealing scandal that reportedly began in 2021. The investigation began on Oct. 19. A day later, U-M recruiting analyst Connor Stalions was named a person of interest. Under Stalions, the Wolverines operated a system where they would self-scout future opponents, thus violating NCAA rules.

According to reports, Stalions purchased tickets to more than 35 games at 17 different stadiums and had a $15,000 budget for tickets and travel for the 2023 season. Stalions, who was suspended by the program, resigned from his position last month.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh walks onto the field before the game against Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.  :: © Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Per a statement released by his lawyer, Harbaugh, 59, did not know of the sign-stealing scandal.

Harbaugh, who's led the Wolverines to back-to-back Big Ten title championships and College Football Playoff berths, previously served a self-imposed three-game suspension at the start of the regular season as part of the NCAA’s investigation into recruiting violations during the COVID dead period. The NCAA has still not handed down punishment for Harbuagh's Level I violation for not cooperating with or misleading NCAA investigators.

The standard policy for the Big Ten was to serve up to a two-game suspension and a $10,000 fine. However, permission from an executive board would allow the Big Ten to dish out more of a punishment than that, per ESPN's Heather Dinich.

Last week, Petitti flew to Ann Arbor to meet with school president Santa Ono to discuss the situation further. UM athletic director Warde Manuel did not travel to Grapevine, Texas, this past week to meet with the the College Football Playoff Committee, electing to stay behind to attend to matters surrounding the program.

Earlier this month, Petitti faced pressure from other coaches, athletic directors, and presidents to deliver a punishment to Michigan for the sign-stealing scandal.

As it pertains to the College Football Playoff, CFP executive director Bill Hancock and committee chairman Boo Corrigan said the committee will continue to look at what happens on the field. Corrigan mentioned that the committee views the situation as “an NCAA issue, not a CFP issue.”

The Wolverines travel to face Maryland next week before returning to Ann Arbor for the season finale. 

It is unclear who will serve as acting head coach should Harbaugh's suspension be upheld by the Big Ten for Saturday's game in State College against the Nittany Lions.