In a recent viral leaked audio of Penn State’s Pat Kraft, the athletic director shares his views on the Nittany Lions’ biggest Big Ten rivals, who are defending champions Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines. Both of these programs have won a national championship in the last three years. On the other end, the Nittany Lions are still trying to come out on top.
Kraft used quite a choice of words while talking to someone about Penn State’s rivals. Talking about the Buckeyes, he said:
“Ohio State is Ohio State, but f*** it — it’s not like they’re light years better than us talent-wise. We just haven’t been able to get over the f***ing hump.”
Continuing in the conversation, Kraft blatantly accused the Wolverines of cheating their way into winning the 2023 national championship.
“Michigan f***ing stinks. Fing joke. Cheated their b*lls off. That’s real, by the way. They did,” Kraft added.
What Cheating Penn State AD Pat Kraft Was Referring To With Respect To Michigan?
The cheating Pat Kraft was referring to came under the leadership of then-Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, who left to take the job at the Los Angeles Chargers after helping the Wolverines win the NCAA title. Michigan allegedly stole signs of their upcoming opponents to get an edge when they come face-to-face. The operation spanned from 2021 to 2023. As per the NCAA rules, it is illegal to steal the signs of the opponents.
Because of this violation and after thorough sanctions, the NCAA imposed several punishments on the program, including four years of probation, a base fine of $50,000, plus a 10% penalty on the football program’s budget and a fine equivalent to all anticipated postseason revenue sharing for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. They also faced a reduction in recruiting privileges, including a 25% cut in official team visits for the 2025-26 season, and a 14-week ban on recruiting communications during the probation period.
In terms of personnel, Michigan staffer Connor Stallions was fired by the program and has been issued an 8-year show-cause order. Similarly, Jim Harbaugh has also been issued a 10-year show-cause order, while current head coach Sherrone Moore was given a two-year show-cause, plus a three-game suspension, that he will have to serve in 2026.
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