In a recent revelation that has reignited controversy in college football, Connor Stalions, a former Michigan football staffer, admitted to secretly providing Ohio State with stolen defensive signals from Michigan State in 2021. His actions were designed to ensure Ohio State’s victory over Michigan State, thus boosting Michigan’s chances of reaching the Big Ten Championship.
During an appearance on the podcast “Bussin’ With the Boys,” Stalions disclosed that he had covertly gathered Michigan State’s signals and passed them to Ohio State through intermediaries. Stalions, who had been engaged in an elaborate sign-stealing operation, explained that his motivation was to help Michigan advance in the Big Ten standings. At the time, Michigan had suffered a regular-season loss to Michigan State and needed the Spartans to lose twice in order for Michigan to compete for the conference title. After Michigan State lost to Purdue, their fate rested on their upcoming game against Ohio State, and Stalions saw an opportunity to give the Buckeyes an advantage.
To avoid any suspicion, Stalions took steps to make it appear that the stolen signals came from a neutral source, rather than Michigan. He altered the logos and origin of the information before passing it on through a network of contacts. In the podcast, he expressed concern that Ohio State might not use the information if they knew it had come from their archrival, Michigan. “I gave Michigan State’s signals to a buddy of mine,” Stalions admitted. “I made it look like it came from a different school. I don’t want to give Ohio State something from Michigan… but we needed Ohio State to win.”
While Stalions suspected that Ohio State may have already gathered similar information on their own, he believed his actions confirmed what they needed to know. Ultimately, Ohio State went on to crush Michigan State 56-7, securing their victory in a dominant performance. Despite the lopsided scoreline, Stalions’ actions have added another layer of intrigue to the story, raising questions about how much influence sign-stealing may have played in the outcome.
This revelation comes amid a broader investigation into Stalions’ involvement in a widespread sign-stealing operation, which has become one of the most significant scandals in recent college football history. Known for going to extreme lengths to support Michigan, Stalions had previously drawn attention for other controversial tactics aimed at gaining competitive advantages for the Wolverines. His latest confession underscores just how far he was willing to go to aid Michigan’s football program, even if it meant helping their most bitter rival, Ohio State, in the process.
The saga of Connor Stalions continues to unfold, with each new detail fueling debates about the ethics of sign-stealing in college sports. While Ohio State’s victory over Michigan State may not have hinged solely on Stalions’ stolen signals, the revelation highlights the ongoing impact of covert tactics in college
football.
