Old Notre Dame football rival is about to get hammered by the NCAA

There are few Notre Dame football rivalries that are as bitter as the one the Irish have with the Michigan Wolverines. That’s especially interesting when you consider that the two teams haven’t faced off since 2019. Granted, the 31-point beat down by a program that ended up cheating in order to reverse their standing in the college football world makes that loss even more unpalatable.

And make no mistake. Michigan cheaated. Often. After spending most of 2023 pretending as if Jim Harbaugh and staff were somehow the victims of an orchestrated campaign against them, the NCAA called their bluff. 

While it’s clear most Notre Dame football fans knew that former Wolverine head coach Jim Harbaugh left for the Chargers in order to avoid punishment. He was soon followed by other Michigan coaches who also wanted to avoid any repercussions. Sherrone Moore was left behind to take the blame

Notre Dame football rival put on blast by NCAA

On Sunday, the NCAA made it clear that Moore was also not just an innocent bystander. He actively participated in a scheme that was spearheaded by Connor Stalions. Moore’s most detailed involvement in spying on other teams is a string of 52 texts to Stallions that the then-offensive coordinator deleted when the NCAA came calling.

ESPN reports that all of this means that for the second straight year, the Wolverines could be without their head coach for at least a couple of games. Moore’s trying to destroy evidence, paired with a 2020 recruiting violation means he’ll almost certainly be suspended.

Last year, Harbaugh had to sit out several games as allegations against the Wolverines involving “Spy-gate” surfaced. The full extent of the potential punishment isn’t known yet. 

There are some who believe Michigan could have some wins vacated. While it seems unlikely that they’ll have their National Championship itself be vacated, there’s going to be a push for that.

Notre Dame football doesn’t play Michigan this year. It doesn’t play its old rival anytime soon. That doesn’t mean we can’t all enjoy its downfall.