The 2023 college football season is one of the most entertaining in years as the gap between the nation’s bet three teams and the rest of the top 10 is smaller than it’s been in years.
Despite this parity there’s been a lack of dramatic upsets through the first eight weeks of the season. However, there’s been drama off the field with the Michigan football sign-stealing scandal. And with new reporting Tuesday night, apparently Tennessee football is connected to the ordeal.
Here’s the gist of Michigan’s sign-stealing campaign. Now suspended Michigan staffer Connor Stallions purchased tickets in his own name to over 30-games over the last three years. The tickets were always on the front row behind a sideline and often included one ticket on each side of the field.
Stallions then transferred the tickets to someone outside of the Michigan program who went to games and filmed teams signals before presumably sending them back to Stallions, according to ESPN’s reporting.
So how is Tennessee connected?
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According to reporting from Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger, Stallions purchased tickets at the 50-yard line across from Tennessee’s sideline for the Vols’ 44-6 beatdown of Kentucky at Neyland Stadium last season. The Vols win over Kentucky came just two weeks after Tennessee upset Alabama and became serious contenders for the CFB Playoffs.
Three days after Tennessee’s blowout win over Kentucky, the Vols ranked No. 1 nationally in the season’s first CFB Playoff rankings.
While November losses at Georgia and South Carolina ended Tennessee’s playoff hopes, Michigan made the playoffs for the second straight year after posting a 13-0 record and a Big 10 Championship. TCU upset Michigan in the semifinals before losing to Georgia in the National Championship game.
Stallions reportedly purchased tickets to a myriad of Big 10 games over the last three years as well as Alabama, Clemson and Georgia games including each of the last two SEC Championship games.
Michigan is currently 8-0 (5-0 Big 10) this season with quarterback J.J. McCarthy being the Heisman Trophy betting favorite. The Wolverines face Purdue, Penn State and Maryland before closing their season with a home matchup against Ohio State.
