Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh will not be permitted to attend the final three games of Michigan’s regular season after the Big Ten found that Michigan violated the conference’s sportsmanship policy.
Harbaugh cannot attend Saturday’s game at No. 10 Penn State, the following game at Maryland or the season finale against No. 1 Ohio State. If Michigan wins those three games it will be in the Big Ten Championship Game, and Harbaugh will be allowed to coach in that game and in the postseason.
“Michigan has been found in violation of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Policy for conducting an impermissible, in-person scouting operation over multiple years, resulting in an unfair competitive advantage that compromised the integrity of competition,” the Big Ten said in a statement.
The Big Ten’s announcement also made clear that Harbaugh will be allowed to coach at practices for the next three weeks, just not at games.
“Big Ten Conference Agreement 10.01 states in part that ‘The Big Ten Conference expects all contests involving a member institution to be conducted without compromise to any fundamental element of sportsmanship. Such fundamental elements include integrity of the competition, civility toward all, and respect, particularly toward opponents and officials,’” the conference said in its statement. “As a penalty imposed on the institution, the University football team must compete without its Head Football Coach for the games remaining in the 2023 regular-season, effective immediately. This disciplinary action shall not preclude the University or its football team from having its Head Football Coach attend practices or other football team activities other than the game activities to which it applies. For clarity, the Head Football Coach shall not be present at the game venue on the dates of the games to which this disciplinary action applies.”
The NCAA has not yet concluded its investigation of Michigan, and the school and Harbaugh individually could face additional sanctions when the investigation does conclude.
The announcement that Harbaugh can’t coach in games comes just 20 hours before kickoff of Saturday’s big game between No. 3 Michigan and No. 10 Penn State.
