Michigan asks court to stop Jim Harbaugh suspension, eyeing return for Penn State game

Note: This is a breaking news story, and the information included is subject to change.

Impending legal action Friday night will determine if Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh can coach in Saturday’s game vs. Penn State football. The university filed a request in local court this afternoon following an announcement from the Big Ten that the Michigan football coach would be suspended for the final three regular-season games amid ongoing investigations into sign-stealing and illegal scouting. If the request is granted, Harbaugh will be able to return to the sidelines for tomorrow’s matchup between the No. 3 Wolverines and No. 10 Nittany Lions.

Michigan responds to Big Ten penalties announced hours before Penn State game

In a move anticipated to happen all day, the Big Ten announced Friday afternoon that it was suspending Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season. Citing the conference’s sportsmanship policy, the Big Ten took action to penalize Michigan football for “conducting an impermissible, in-person scouting operation over multiple years, resulting in an unfair competitive advantage that compromised the integrity of competition.”

It is important to note that the Big Ten has yet to receive any information that Harbaugh was aware that impermissible sign-stealing was occurring. Instead, the conference regards the move as a sanction against the university for the illegal scouting operation.

As expected, Michigan immediately filed a request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to be enacted. The request was filed in Washtenaw County (Michigan) Circuit Court, following a similar local jurisdiction precedent set by Nebraska when it sued the Big Ten during the canceled 2020 season.

Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Board of Regents have filed for a temporary restraining order in Washtenaw County Circuit Court. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and the Big Ten are defendants. The listed judicial officer is Judge Timothy P. Connors. W/@DanMurphyESPN pic.twitter.com/wNoxYEspPQ

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 11, 2023

Although the courts are closed for Veterans Day, an emergency hearing is widely expected to be held tonight. If the TRO is granted, Jim Harbaugh is expected to be allowed to return to the sidelines for tomorrow’s game against Penn State. Under the Big Ten’s suspension, Harbaugh can coach during the week but is prohibited from being on-site during games.

Harbaugh is already in State College

To make an odd situation even weirder, these events are all playing out while Jim Harbaugh is in State College. The Big Ten announced its suspension as the Michigan football team was in the air on the way to Penn State. Harbaugh was seen getting off the Michigan team plane after it touched down at the University Park Airport.

Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh is here in State College. Looks like an emergency tarmac meeting. pic.twitter.com/MQaRFBoW61

— Ryan Parsons (@rjparsons9) November 10, 2023

While it is widely expected that we will hear a ruling on the TRO tonight, a decision must be made before tomorrow’s noon kickoff. At any rate, don’t expect the gameplay for Penn State football to be much different, regardless of the decision.

“I’ll focus on the things that we can control,” James Franklin said Monday when asked about a potential Jim Harbaugh suspension. “What we’re focused on is all this stuff that we see on the film — their players, their scheme, all the stuff. When I say ‘see on film,’ [I mean] what we see on the coaches’ copy, the film and stuff that’s going on between the sidelines.”

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