Michigan sign stealing operation extended out of Big Ten

In time, we'll learn Connor Stalions was at the famed Rutgers-Princeton game back in 1869.

ESPN reported that 12 of the 13 Big Ten schools have record of Stalions purchasing a ticket for one of their games -- who is the 13th school, and how defeated or offended do they feel right now -- as well a number of schools outside the Big Ten.

ESPN's report lists Stalions purchasing tickets to "more than" 35 games at 17 different stadiums, while Yahoo reported that Michigan targeted Tennessee, Alabama, Clemson and Oregon were targets during the stretch run of the 2022 season. Stalions also purchased tickets for the 2021 and 2022 SEC championships. Michigan played SEC runner-up Georgia in an Orange Bowl semifinal; Georgia won the game, 34-11. 

Tennessee not only told Yahoo which game Stalions purchased a ticket to, it knows the exact time, and when he transferred the ticket to another person.

What's more, a VolQuest post from this past January emerged with a third-hand account of a spy within Stalions's network working on Michigan's behalf.

NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1 prohibits off-campus, in-person scouting of opponents "in the same season," so a Michigan spy attending an Oregon-Washington game would not be against the rules.

However, the fact that Stalions would go to the effort of purchasing the tickets, finding a subject to attend the game, arranging for whatever travel or lodging that might be necessary, means that someone higher up the org chart found value in Stalions's work... and was willing to pay for it.

The more details that emerge out of Michigan, the more questions arise. 

As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.