In college football, all roads lead back to realignment. Even in one of the Power 2 conferences.
Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated reported Friday that University of Michigan regents discussed the possibility of leaving the Big Ten in the event that the conference punished Jim Harbaugh for the illegal scouting scandal that has currently engulfed the program.
On Friday, the Big Ten unknowingly called Michigan's bluff by suspending Harbaugh for No. 3 Michigan's next three games (he can still coach the team during the week); Michigan has since field a temporary restraining order hoping to allow Harbaugh to coach the team in Saturday's game with No. 10 Penn State (noon ET, Fox).
“Disappointed, and embittered,” a Michigan official told Sports Illustrated in a separate piece. “The lack of professionalism and the lack of care and respect for the kids is stunning, and it will not be soon forgotten.”
The Big Ten is in the first year of a 7-year, $7 billion pact with Fox, CBS and NBC, easily the richest of its kind in college sports.
Michigan originally joined the Big Ten (initially known as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives) in 1896, along with Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin. The University of Chicago is the only school to ever leave the conference, doing so back in 1946.
Part of the reason Michigan sources indicated they were angry with the Big Ten conference office was that ESPN reported Harbaugh's suspension before Michigan was informed. If Michigan were to leave, they would then join a conference televised exclusively by ESPN.
Anyone know which conference Michigan is joining? Can't be the SEC or ACC because they have TV contracts with ESPN.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) November 11, 2023
While it remains extremely unlikely Michigan would leave its well-furnished home of more than a century over a 3-game suspension, that the idea was even floated sheds light on Michigan's commitment to its coach moving forward.
Michigan was in the process of presenting an offer to make Harbaugh the Big Ten's highest-paid coach when the scandal broke on Oct. 19. The Wall Street Journal reported that offer was later rescinded, but a Michigan insider reported Nov. 1 that the deal was still on.
Ten days later, no offer has been presented and no contract has been signed. But if the U-M Regents are reportedly angry enough to discuss leaving the Big Ten over its treatment of Harbaugh, it could indicate that the school will stick by Harbaugh through both concurrent investigations swirling around Michigan Stadium.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.