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Paul Finebaum says Michigan lost in settlement with Big Ten ‘very badly’
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Paul Finebaum does not think Michigan won after it settled with the Big Ten.
Last week, Jim Harbaugh was suspended 3-game as the Big Ten continues to investigate the Michigan sign-stealing saga. On Thursday, Michigan decided it would not fight that suspension and Harbaugh would sit out the final 3 games.
Finebaum believes Michigan did that because it knew it wasn’t going to win this round, and it didn’t want to make matters worse.
“They clearly got a read on where this was going, and I think they were headed toward a disaster,” Finebaum said on Get Up Friday morning. “What I mean by that is, once you go into a public court, you’re not really sure what’s going to solve out, and I have a feeling the Big Ten let the University of Michigan attorneys know, you’re taking a big risk, because we’re going to drop the NCAA investigation information, the discovery and this could prove to be far worse.”
Finebaum believes that by accepting the suspension, Michigan protected Harbaugh from missing the College Football Playoff, though he says this wasn’t a win in any sense.
“I think the biggest fear for Michigan was that the suspension probably was not going to be stayed, but it could’ve looked worse for Harbaugh keeping him out of the CFP,” Finebaum said. “I think they protected him now. It’s not a win-win. Michigan lost this round very badly.”
Michigan will play its second game without Harbaugh on Saturday against Maryland before closing out the season against Ohio State.