During TCU’s game against Michigan in last year’s College Football Playoff semifinal, one team had the upper edge on the other and it is not who you think based on the latest allegations.
Amid the sign-stealing scandal at Michigan, there have only been two teams to beat the Wolverines over the past two seasons.
Per a report from Yahoo Sports, Ohio State warned TCU about Michigan’s sign-stealing operation ahead of the College Football Playoff and it changed everything for them. The report says the Horned Frogs’ staff started to receive phone calls from Big Ten coaches about the Wolverines’ elaborate sign-stealing operation spearheaded by Connor Stalions right after the CFP matchups were announced.
“Literally everybody we talked to knew,” one TCU coach told Yahoo Sports. “They’d say, ‘Just so you know, they steal your signals and they’re going to have everything so you better change them.’”
Another coach told the TCU staff Michigan “has the most elaborate signal-stealing in the history of the world.”
The Horned Frogs would then change up their signals while purposely signaling in plays late so Stalions wouldn’t have enough time to alert Michigan coaches. They also reportedly purposely used old signals to trick the Wolverines during their 51-45 upset.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NCAA stories via Google! Follow Us
“The guy (Stalions) was wrong a couple of times,” one TCU staff member told Yahoo Sports. “We rewatched the TV version of the game. You can see him standing next to the defensive coordinator. He tells something to the coordinator and he points in the air to mean pass. You can see the playsheet he’s holding with our hand signs on them.”
Based on the final score, not everything was foolproof.
“There are some times in the game that they still got us,” a TCU staff member told Yahoo Sports, “especially on short-yardage.”
The investigation into Michigan for the sign-stealing operation remains ongoing. No penalty from the NCAA will likely be levied until the 2024 season.
Stalions has been suspended with pay after the investigation became public.
