Ohio State Legend Troy Smith Accuses Michigan Football Of Cheating
01/23/2025 12:33 PM
Ohio State football fans are still celebrating the national championship their team won this week, and with good reason. The Buckeyes emerged as a deserving champion after winning four games against elite teams in the College Football Playoff.
Their journey culminated in Monday's win over Notre Dame in Atlanta, and Buckeyes fans around the world were thrilled to see the program's first national championship in a decade.
The title drought was made worse by Michigan's national championship win last season, as Ohio State was forced to watch its most hated rival reach the top of the college football mountain.
After the Buckeyes did the same on Monday night, one former Heisman trophy winner called out another team.
Former Ohio State quarterback and Heisman winner Troy Smith shared a post on social media detailing Ryan Day's first six years at Ohio State vs. Jim Harbaugh's first six years at Michigan.
"Professor Khakis ran to the next to level cause they cheated," Smith said, referring to Harbaugh's move to the NFL to coach the Los Angeles Chargers.
Professor Khakis ran to the next to level cause they cheated .. https://t.co/WV0yNSjFGu
— Troy Smith (@yn_TroySmith) January 23, 2025
Michigan's alleged sign-stealing operation involved a former staffer named Connor Stalions, who visited games featuring future Wolverines opponents as a fan and would record what other teams did to correctly predict which play was coming next.
Stalions said that Harbaugh was unaware of the scheme, but that didn't stop the Big Ten from suspending him for multiple games at the end of the regular season. Despite Harbaugh's absence, the Wolverines remained undefeated prior to his return at the Big Ten championship game.
Harbaugh and the Wolverines would then advance to the College Football Playoff, where they defeated Alabama and Washington to win the national title in the old four-team format.
This year, with Sherrone Moore as head coach, the Wolverines finished outside of playoff contention at 7-5 before picking up another win over Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
As the Ohio State and Michigan rivalry continues to evolve with a new era of player, we'll see if more campus legends like Smith speak up. Ohio State may have the national title, but Michigan owns bragging rights after another win over them this season.
We'll find out how that dynamic affects how the two programs speak about one another over the next few seasons, and whether any other great players from the past have something to say.
Related: Bill Belichick Has Made Final Decision On His North Carolina Contract
