Embracing the opportunity for some Halloween MAC-tion Tuesday night, Central Michigan controlled Northern Illinois -- and in the process, it exceeded its win total from the 2022 campaign.
But Jim McElwain, the Chippewas head coach and former head man at both Colorado State and the University of Florida, likely generated the most interest in his perspective on Michigan's ongoing, ever-evolving alleged sign-stealing plot with disgraced, suspended Wolverines support staffer Connor Stalions.
"Before we go any farther, we're obviously aware of a picture floating around of the sign-stealer guy," McElwain said. "Our people are doing everything they can get to get to the bottom of it.
Prior to kickoff in a game in which CMU notched its fifth win via an 37-31 win against Northern Illinois, images circulated throughout the day Tuesday that potentially showcased Stalions on the CMU sidelines.
The images showed an as-yet-unidentified male on the Central Michigan sideline against Michigan State.
McElwain acknowledged that CMU has launched an formal investigation into the person on the sidelines of that Sept. 1 season-opening contest.
"We were unaware, totally unaware of it, and I certainly don't condone [coordinated, illegal in-person scouting and possible sign-stealing] in any way, shape or form," McElwain said. "I do know that his name was on none of the passes. Now we just keep tracing it back and tracing it back and try to figure it out.
"It's in good hands with our people. And, again, there's no place in football for that."
Full quote from CMU Head coach Jim McElwain: pic.twitter.com/AjKf37JhRf
— Kennedy Broadwell (@BroadwellK) November 1, 2023
The Michigan program's bitter in-state rival, Michigan State sits some 60 miles northwest of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the Spartans hosted CMU to open their 2023 season.
Michigan did not play its first game of the season until the day after Central Michigan's visit to Michigan State; the Wolverines trounced East Carolina, 31-7.
After it did not play last week, Michigan has practiced this week in advance of Saturday's game against Big Ten foe Purdue.
Monday, Harbaugh largely declined to answer any questions that pertained to the ongoing sign-stealing investigations into the program -- the Big Ten, the NCAA and Michigan all have indicated they have launched probes into Stalions's and the Wolverines's alleged scheme -- but he labeled a Wall Street Journal report that said the school had rescinded a long-term, lucrative contract extension as "not accurate."