REPORTS: Michigan staffer involved in sign-stealing probe planned to attend Penn State-Ohio State

The biggest story on the field for the Big Ten this weekend was the clarity derived in the East Divison race following Ohio State’s 20-12 win over Penn State football. However, the most significant storyline off the field is the newly launched investigation into Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan football program regarding sign-stealing allegations. The plot lines around this saga got even deeper on Monday. New reports say that Connor Stalions, the suspended Michigan staffer at the center of the sign-stealing probe, planned to attend the Penn State-Ohio State game on Saturday.

REPORTS: Suspended Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions had planned to attend Penn State-Ohio State game

The college football world was taken aback last week by the news of yet another NCAA investigation into Michigan football and head coach Jim Harbaugh. This time, the investigation centers around an alleged sign-stealing operation.

According to reports, Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions is accused of violating NCAA rules by scouting future opponents in person. With this advanced scouting, Stalions is alleged to have helped Michigan learn the playcalling signs of its future opponents before the Wolverines met them on the field. 

But a new report from ESPN this afternoon sheds light on just how deep the operation is alleged to have gone. According to Pete Thamel and Mark Schlabach, Stalions had purchased tickets under his own name for over 30 games at 11 different Big Ten schools over the last three years.

It is also believed that Stalions had forwarded tickets to at least three different people across the country. The NCAA is also expected to receive evidence of illegal technology being used to scout opponents at these games. 

However, it appears that the alleged sign-stealing probe would have hit close to home for Penn State football if the NCAA investigation was not announced last week. According to the ESPN report, Stalions had purchased tickets on both sidelines of the Penn State-Ohio State game in Columbus on Saturday.

It’s still unclear if Stalions had ever attended a game at Beaver Stadium, as the ESPN report did not list out the 11 Big Ten schools where the Michigan staffer allegedly scouted opponents. But the report shows how dangerously close to home this story is for the Nittany Lions. Of course, Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines play Penn State on November 11 and Ohio State at the end of the season. 

On the field, Harbaugh and No. 2-ranked Michigan beat Michigan State 49-0 on Saturday night. 

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

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