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The Michigan Wolverines are reportedly set to suspend head coach Sherrone Moore for two games on Monday, stemming from an internal investigation into the program’s infamous 2023 sign-stealing scandal. Moore allegedly deleted text messages with staffer Connor Stalions, who was at the center of the scandal. But curiously enough, Moore will not be suspended for Michigan’s first two games of the 2025 season.
Instead, Dan Wetzel and Pete Thamel of ESPN report that Moore will coach the first two weeks of the new season. He will then be suspended for weeks three and four of the Wolverines’ season. Why would they not just get the suspension out of the way? Well, one must only take a look at Michigan’s 2025 football schedule to find the answer.
Michigan Self-Imposes Sherrone Moore Penalty To Avoid Difficult Oklahoma Game
The Wolverines begin the season against New Mexico on August 30. They’ll very likely be a heavy favorite against the Lobos and first-year head coach Jason Eck. But things get far more interesting in Week 2, when Michigan will travel to Norman, Oklahoma to take on the Sooners. While Oklahoma struggled in 2024 under Brent Venables, going just 6-7, they’re set to look far different this time around.
The Sooners hired 29-year-old rising star Ben Arbuckle as their new offensive coordinator, and with Arbuckle came John Mateer, the top-rated quarterback in the transfer portal and Arbuckle’s star pupil at Washington State.
Rather than missing that game, one which could prove difficult for Michigan, Moore will instead sit out Weeks 3 and 4, Central Michigan and Nebraska. Like in Week 1 against UNM, the Wolverines will likely be large favorites against the Chippewas and could well be the same against the Cornhuskers.
It didn’t take long for the college football world to catch on to Michigan’s shenanigans.
A self-imposed suspension just for Games 3 and 4 is so funny. https://t.co/SWl7io6A4L
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) May 5, 2025
Imagine breaking a rule before a concert you REALLY wanted to go to as a teen.
You tell your parents, “I know I messed up. I’ll ground myself for two weeks AFTER the concert. Ok?”
That’s what Michigan is doing. Oklahoma is the “concert” https://t.co/K5evJJ6K1O
— Doug Samuels 🏈 (@CoachSamz) May 5, 2025
I love how they can pick the weeks they are suspending him. Conveniently not against Oklahoma. https://t.co/lODgoDcbm5
— Christian Borman (@christianborman) May 5, 2025
Now, the NCAA is still conducting its investigation into Moore and the Michigan program. Michigan’s self-imposed penalty is likely in hopes of placating the NCAA and avoiding a worse punishment. But it does not guarantee that. So it’s still entirely possible Moore misses a meaningful game or games going forward.
For now, however, it appears the Wolverines have yet again finagled their way around any real consequences.