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From the Sidelines to Screen: The Michigan Sign-Stealing Scandal Heads To Netflix

Get ready to grab your popcorn and settle in because Netflix is about to serve up some juicy content that’s sure to have Buckeye sports fans buzzing. As Ohio State fans, we all know there’s no love lost between us and the team up north, and now there’s even more reason to keep an eye on their shady antics.

The latest season of Netflix’s docuseries, “Untold,” is set to premiere on August 27, and one of the featured stories is the infamous sign-stealing scandal involving our rivals from Michigan. This episode, titled “Untold: Sign Stealer,” promises to dive deep into the controversial events that rocked the college football world last year.

For those who might need a refresher, the scandal centered around former Michigan football analyst Connor Stalions, who allegedly orchestrated a sign-stealing operation that gave the Wolverines an unfair advantage. According to reports, Stalions attended games of future opponents in person, gathering intel to help Michigan strategize. This illegal scouting led to an NCAA and Big Ten Conference investigation, which concluded that the Wolverines staff had indeed engaged in unethical practices.

CBS Sports reported earlier this week that Michigan’s current coach, Sherrone Moore, might face penalties as the NCAA prepares to release its notice of allegations against the program. Moore is accused of deleting more than 50 text messages between himself and Stalions, further entangling him in the scandal. Potential penalties for Moore include a show-cause order and a one-game suspension, marking him as a “repeat violator” due to previous recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period.

While Stalions resigned from his position, the fallout from the scandal didn’t stop Michigan from having a stellar season. They went on to clinch the National Championship after an undefeated run. But the controversy cast a long shadow over their victory, especially for their former head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who faced a suspension for the first three games of the season before departing for the NFL’s San Diego Chargers.

The timing of this documentary couldn’t be better for Ohio State fans. As we gear up for another exciting season of college football, “Untold: Sign Stealer” offers a chance to revisit the drama and get a behind-the-scenes look at what really went down. Directed by Micah Brown, this episode is part of the fourth volume of the “Untold” series, which has built a reputation for uncovering the raw and unfiltered stories behind some of sports’ most sensational headlines.

In addition to the Michigan scandal, this season of “Untold” will feature two other gripping tales: the 2009 murder of former NFL MVP Steve “Air” McNair, and the complex career of US soccer icon Hope Solo.

As a Buckeye through and through, it’s hard not to feel a certain schadenfreude seeing the dirty laundry of our arch-rivals aired out for all to see. The sign-stealing scandal is just another chapter in the storied and often tumultuous history of Michigan football. While Harbaugh may have moved on to a new position, the repercussions of his tenure—and the actions of his staff—continue to echo.

Whether you’re a die-hard football fan or just love a good scandal, this documentary will probably lead us all to more questions. And who knows? It might just add a little extra spice to the Ohio State vs. Michigan showdown this November.

Featured image by Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA (26 September 2015) under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License