The punishment he handed out Friday, suspending coach Jim Harbaugh for the team’s three remaining games of the regular season, is guaranteed to make everyone mad. 

Michigan, of course, was going to be mad no matter what Petitti did. But the Big Ten suspending Harbaugh while admitting that it had no evidence he was involved or knew of staffer Connor Stalions’ outrageous in-person scouting operation only makes it that much more frustrating for a school and fan base that is now dug-in on the idea that it did nothing wrong. (More on that in a moment.)

But if you drill down on what Petitti did here, is it really that big of a penalty? 

Indeed, as of now, Harbaugh will be barred from the stadium for the next three game days — which includes the two biggest games of the season, against Penn State on Saturday and Ohio State on Nov. 25. But he won’t be prohibited from going to practice, game-planning, giving a rah-rah speech or any of his other duties during the week. 

The practical effect of that penalty is that nothing really changes for Michigan other than who’s making the fourth-down decisions and calling the timeouts. That’s not nothing, but in terms of Michigan’s chances of winning a national championship, it’s probably about the least-impactful thing Petitti could have done.

If you’re Ohio State today, you’re laughing of course. But you’re also rolling your eyes. And if you’re one of the Big Ten teams who believes that Michigan obtained a significant competitive advantage by breaking the rules, this doesn’t feel very much like justice. 

Of course, because Michigan has dug in its heels that nothing should be done — at least until a long, drawn-out NCAA investigative process concludes sometime after they have a parade down Ann Arbor’s Main Street — the lawyering will now commence. How a judge views this dispute is difficult to say, because you’re talking about two very different theories of the Big Ten’s role in handing out this kind of discipline. 

In the most basic, broad terms, Michigan’s argument is that an in-season ruling that goes outside the typical NCAA enforcement process constitutes a denial of due process and, as the school said in a statement Friday, “sets an untenable precedent of assessing penalties before an investigation has been completed.”

The Big Ten’s argument is that regardless of who knew about or sanctioned Stalions’ illicit activities, there was clear and direct evidence of a violation that directly impacted the integrity of competition this season. Thus, it falls under the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy, giving Petitti wide latitude to take this kind of action. In fact, in a letter explaining the penalties, Petitti argues that it would have been more egregious if he didn’t act now and that once the conference sportsmanship policy is reasonably invoked, it isn’t connected to the outcome of an NCAA investigation. 

In the end, that distinction is key here, and the Big Ten is probably on the correct side. Players and coaches are penalized or suspended all the time for things that are discovered during an investigation and long before it is complete.

What the Big Ten lays out in its letter is that, in cooperation with NCAA enforcement, it presented Michigan with a mountain of evidence that Stalions broke NCAA rules by deploying a network of associates to film opponents’ sidelines in-person, so that he could sync up all of their signals with specific play calls. If the school wasn’t going to do anything about it beyond suspending Stalions (who ultimately resigned), the conference was willing to force its hand. 

Not only did the NCAA and Big Ten have a so-called “Master Spreadsheet’ with the scouting assignments Stalions handed out and dollar figures allocated to those trips, it says it was able to match those names to ticket transfers and had evidence that the sideline videos were being sent back to Michigan. 

In other words, there was no longer room for obfuscation about whether a violation of the NCAA’s in-person scouting rule occurred. Stalions was caught, and thus Michigan was caught. That part of the investigation — maybe the most important part — was over. 

“The existence of the impermissible scheme is proven,” Petitti wrote. “While other investigatory bodies continue to develop additional evidence of the scope, extent and individual knowledge of the scheme … taking immediate action is appropriate and necessary.” 

What’s less convincing, though, is the rationale for sanctioning Harbaugh specifically right now. Even the Big Ten admits there’s no evidence yet that he had knowledge, instead characterizing the suspension as a sanction against the university because “the Head Coach embodies the University for purposes of its football program.” 

That’s an interesting characterization, and one that the Big Ten’s lawyers almost certainly crafted in a very specific way, because the NCAA has typically gone after head coaches by saying they have a fairly strict responsibility for wrongdoing committed by their assistance. Knowing Michigan and Harbaugh would take the Big Ten to court and seek an injunction, the Big Ten must not have felt that argument would hold up to scrutiny of its own bylaws. 

But from a common-sense perspective, that would actually be a more compelling point to make.

It’s certainly possible Harbaugh knew nothing or very little about what Stalions was up to, but the simple reality is that somebody at Michigan had given him a significant amount of responsibility. There are volumes of photos and videos showing Stalions in close proximity and speaking to coordinators during the games, telling them what play he thought was coming. That job doesn’t just appear out of thin air. At some point, somebody high up at Michigan recognized that Stalions had the ability to steal signs and made him an important part of the game-day operation.

How did a $55,000 per year analyst rise to that level? How did they become aware of his talents? And was there no curiosity about how he obtained such great information on opponents? 

Those are the kinds of questions that would be part of a thorough investigation to help determine the culpability of Harbaugh or any other staff member at Michigan. But they don’t really matter in the Big Ten’s fundamental conclusions that this sign-stealing scheme happened, that it was against the rules and that it provided Michigan some level of ill-gotten competitive advantage.  

If that’s your starting point, it’s a pretty straightforward argument that Michigan and Harbaugh actually got off easy, and that the Big Ten showed restraint in staying away from a penalty like making Michigan ineligible for the conference title. 

Will a judge see it that way, though, as Harbaugh fights to get back on the sideline? The Big Ten made a huge bet Friday and laid out what it believes is an air-tight case. If it’s wrong, the consequences for the league — and probably for Petitti — are going to resonate for years to come.  

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was arrested by Kenner (Louisiana) police on Friday afternoon, with the team sharing a brief statement once news broke late Friday evening. Thomas was involved in an altercation with construction contractors who were allegedly trespassing and blocking access to his property while working on a neighboring home.

Thomas was charged with simple battery and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors, according to the Kenner Police Department.

Per a Saints team spokesman, ‘We are aware of the incident and are gathering information.’

Thomas is still expected to play Sunday, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. We’ll keep an eye out for more details once they become available.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Virginia’s Perris Jones needed spinal surgery after the running back was injured on a hard hit during Thursday night’s game against No. 11 Louisville.

The football program said Saturday that Jones had spinal surgery on Friday at the U of L Medical Center and was able to walk briefly on Saturday.

‘He remains under observation and will be transferred to the Frazier Rehabilitation Institute in Louisville for continued care when his medical team deems appropriate,’ the team said.

Jones was taken off the field on a stretcher and transported to the hospital following a scary collision during Louisville’s 31-24 victory.

Friday, the school announced that Jones had ‘regained movement in all of his extremities.’

Jones took a massive hit as he moved up the field after catching a swing pass on a second-and-27 play in the final minute of the third quarter. The hit jarred the ball loose but it was scooped up by Malik Washington, who scampered into the end zone to give UVA a 20-14 lead.

But the celebration was short-lived as it was immediately clear that Jones needed medical attention. The ESPN broadcast said trainers were immediately on the field to assist Jones, who was placed onto a backboard and taken off the field on a cart.

Players kneeled as Jones was treated. When Jones was placed onto the cart, the entire Virginia team surrounded him.

The game eventually resumed, and Virginia kicked the extra point to go up 21-14. Louisville rallied to win 31-24.

In his postgame press conference, Virginia coach Tony Elliott said he was receiving ‘encouraging’ news from the hospital about Jones’ condition.

Former NFL cornerback D.J. Hayden was among six people killed in an automobile accident Saturday morning, the Houston Police Department said.

Hayden was 33 years old.

According to authorities, they received a call around 2 a.m. concerning a traffic accident, with two vehicles involved, a Chrysler 300 and an Acura SUV. The Chrysler was deemed the at-fault vehicle as it went through a red light at a high rate of speed.

Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, and four others were taken to a local hospital, and two died after being transported to the hospital. Police said that five males, including one police said appeared to be homeless and one female were among the fatalities and are investigating to get the exact circumstances of the accident, including who was driving the SUV.

Two of Hayden’s University of Houston teammates, cornerback Zach McMillan, and offensive lineman Ralph Oragwu, were also killed in the crash. Another teammate, cornerback Jeffrey Lewis, is recovering from his injuries.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

‘The entire University of Houston community is heartbroken over the tragic passing of former Football student-athletes D.J. Hayden, Zachary McMillian and Ralph Oragwu earlier today, and our thoughts and prayers remain with Jeffery Lewis in his recovery ahead,’ the university’s athletic department said in a statement. ‘We extend our deepest condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones, as we collectively mourn the loss of three individuals who made an indelible impact on each life they touched. While their combined talents provided Houston Football some of its most unforgettable moments, their unique legacies will best be remembered for the way they loved their teammates, supported their communities and defied the odds.’

Hayden was selected in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders, despite suffering a life-threatening injury to his heart during his 2012 season at Houston after a teammate kneed him in the chest during a practice.

Hayden played eight seasons in the league, also spending one season each with the Detroit Lions and Washington and three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He ended his NFL career with 4.5 sacks, 4 interceptions and 46 pass breakups.

Questions swirled around Alabama following a Week 2 home loss to Texas. Would the Crimson Tide, college football’s preeminent program over the past 15 years, even be able to make the SEC championship game?

After two months of hard and diligent work following the 34-24 setback against the Longhorns, Alabama offered up its final answer Saturday with a 49-21 blowout of Kentucky at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.

With that, coach Nick Saban’s team improved to 9-1 overall and 7-0 in SEC play — and, most important, clinched an SEC West title and a spot in the conference championship game in Atlanta.

With one SEC game remaining — the Iron Bowl at Auburn on Nov. 25 — the Tide could still finish tied with Ole Miss atop the division standings, but it would have a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Rebels by virtue of its 24-10 victory on Sept. 23 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

It’s Alabama’s 10th division title since 2008. In eight of the previous nine championship game appearances, it won, with the lone exception coming in 2008, when it lost to Florida 31-20. During that time, no other SEC West team has more than three division titles, with Auburn and LSU tied at that mark.

It’s the Tide’s 15th division title since the SEC adopted a divisional model for the 1992 season.

Who will Alabama play in the SEC championship game?

Georgia had clinched the SEC East before its kickoff because Missouri beat Tennessee. But Georgia routed No. Mississippi 52-17.

When is the SEC championship game?

Date: Saturday, Dec. 2Time: 4 p.m. ET

The SEC championship game will take place on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game will air on CBS.

No Harbaugh, no problem.

Stout defense and a continuous rushing attack was enough for the Jim Harbaugh-less Michigan Wolverines, as they knocked off Penn State 24-15 in a Big Ten clash to remain undefeated and stay in the College Football Playoff picture.

The Wolverines defense also made life tough on Drew Allan and company, giving up only 74 passing yards and forcing two turnovers. It was the most points Michigan had given up this season, but the Nittany Lions scored too late.

‘I want to thank Coach Harbaugh. I love you man,’ said fill-in coach Sherrone Moore, who was crying during his post-game interview on Fox. ‘This one is for you.’

See our USA TODAY Sports’ staff bold predictions for the rest of Saturday’s games here.

Looking for Week 11 picks? We got you covered here. How about a complete TV schedule? Yep, that’s right here. 

College football Week 11 scores

No. 8 Alabama 49, Kentucky 21No. 2 Michigan 24, No. 9 Penn State 15Texas Tech 16, No. 18 Kansas 13No. 20 Tulane 24, Tulsa 22No. 24 Arizona 34, Colorado 31No. 4 Florida State 27, Miami 20Central Florida 45, No. 17 Oklahoma State 3No. 15 Missouri 36, No. 12 Tennessee 7No. 5 Washington 35, No. 14 Utah 28No. 13 Oregon State 62, Stanford 17No. 1 Georgia 52, No. 10 Mississippi 17No. 16 Oklahoma 59, West Virginia 20No. 19 LSU 52, Florida 35Michigan State at No. 3 Ohio State 38, Michigan State 3No. 7 Texas 29, TCU 26No. 23 North Carolina 47, Duke 45 (2OT)San Jose State 42, No. 25 Fresno State 18No. 6 Oregon 36, USC 27

Michigan fill-in coach Sherrone Moore drops two F-bombs in post-game TV interview

Saturday was clearly an emotional day for Michigan and fill-in coach Sherrone Moore, who was called into action after the Big Ten on Friday suspended Jim Harbaugh amid a sign-stealing scandal.

Following No. 2 Michigan’s 24-15 win vs. No. 9 Penn State, ‘Big Noon Saturday’ sideline reporter Jenny Taft asked Moore what this win meant for the Wolverines. A tearful Moore began by thanking God before thanking his team and Harbaugh, all while dropping two F-bombs and another profanity.

‘I want to thank the Lord, I want to thank Coach Harbaugh,’ Moore began. ‘(Expletive) love you, man. I love the (expletive) out of you, man. Did this for you (pointing at the camera). For this university, the president, our AD. We got the best players, best university, best alumni in the country.

‘Love you guys. These (expletive) guys right here,’ Moore continued as he hugged running back Blake Corum. ‘These guys right here, man. These guys did it. These guys did it, man. Talk to him.’ — Zac Al-Khateeb, USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan vs. Penn State highlights

Penn State adds late TD, misses two-point conversion

Penn State finally got back in the end zone, but it might be too little, too late.

The Nittany Lions had their best drive of the day in the final minutes, going 75 yards in two minutes and 16 seconds to make it a 24-15 game. Penn State went for two to try to make it a seven-point game, but a questionable formation and play didn’t work and it remained a two-score game. Penn State attempted the onside kick with less than two minutes left, but Michigan recovered. — Jordan Mendoza

Penn State stopped on fourth down; Michigan punches back with TD

Penn State got the ball back with 4:53 left with a chance to tie the score, but after a Nicholas Singleton 4-yard run, Drew Allar threw three incomplete passes as the Nittany Lions turned it over on downs at their 30, instead of punting the ball with two time outs remaining.

On the next snap, Michigan running back Blake Corum ran up the middle untouched for a 30-yard touchdown run, to extend the Wolverines lead to 24-9.  — Scooby Axson

Penn State defense keeps it one-score game

Michigan was driving, but the Nittany Lions were able to keep points off the board with eight minutes left.

A false start and tackle for loss inside Penn State territory killed any chance Michigan had of making it a two-score game, as the Wolverines punted the ball to keep Penn State’s hopes alive. Drew Allar and company will get the ball at their 12-yard line for the chance to tie. — Jordan Mendoza

Penn State player mocks Michigan sign-stealing scandal with on-field celebration

Michigan has been at the center of a college football scandal, with coach Jim Harbaugh facing a three-game suspension for the program’s ongoing sign-stealing scandal. On Saturday, No. 9 Penn State decided to poke fun at the No. 2 Wolverines as they faced off in Beaver Stadium.

Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton made a first-down stop and celebrated the play by motioning binoculars with his hands before starting to mimic writing in a notebook.

Dennis-Sutton, of course, referenced former Wolverines assistant Connor Stalions, who resigned at Michigan following news of his involvement in the sign-stealing scandal. Stalions reportedly bought tickets to multiple games and used a network of scouts to illicitly steal opponents’ signs, ostensibly granting the Wolverines a competitive advantage. — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan heads into fourth quarter with lead

Penn State had a chance to tie the score or cut the deficit, but James Franklin opted to not gamble in the second half. The Wolverines lead 17-9.

After Michigan extended its lead to eight points, Penn State got to a critical fourth and two at its 46-yard line. Penn State was set to go for it, but clear confusion on the offense resulted in a timeout. Franklin opted to punt instead, and Michigan will begin the final quarter inside its 10-yard line. — Jordan Mendoza

Michigan capitalizes on Penn State fumble

The Wolverines cashed in on a Penn State blunder, when quarterback Drew Allar ran up the middle and coughed up the football and it was recovered by safety Makari Paige.

Michigan then tried to play bully ball, rushing on each of its 13 plays on a 45-yard drive. The drive took 8:04 off the clock.

J.J. McCarthy ran for 24 yards, including a 9-yard scramble on fourth down, with James Turner kicking a 22-yard field goal to extend the Wolverines lead to 17-9. — Scooby Axson

Fourth-down conversions lead to Penn State score

Penn State gambled and it paid off.

Down 14-3 late in the second quarter and in Michigan territory, Penn State faced a fourth down and kept the offense on the field. The decision proved to be smart, with Drew Allar finding Kaden Saunders for a 13-yard pass to extend the drive.

The Nittany Lions faced another fourth down, only needing a yard. They went with a trick play, with running back Krytron Allen taking a pitch and tossing it back to Allar for the first down. On the next play, Allar powered through and ran it 11 yards into the end zone for their first touchdown of the day. Penn State went for two to make it a three-point game, but was unsuccessful. It’ll be 14-9 heading into halftime. — Jordan Mendoza

Michigan rushing attack leads to another touchdown

The Michigan offense is finding its rhythm, as it extended its lead with another rushing touchdown.

Blake Corum had the big play of the drive with a 44-yard run to get deep in Penn State territory.

Penn State was able to force a third-and-long for the Wolverines, but Donovan Edwards broke through with a 22-yard touchdown run to make it 14-3.

Michigan already has 106 rushing yards on the day against the best rushing defense in the country, which entered Saturday giving up 60.6 rushing yards a game. — Jordan Mendoza

Michigan responds with touchdown on Blake Corum run

The Wolverines offense woke up after trailing early, marching right down the field in nine plays and five minutes to take the lead, 7-3.

Several plays of more than 10 yards were big on the drive, including Donovan Edwards running for 22 yards into Penn State territory. Blake Corum ended the drive with a three-yard touchdown run, giving him a touchdown in every game this season. — Jordan Mendoza

Penn State scores first on Alex Felkins’ 20-yard FG

The Nittany Lions are on the board.

After forcing two Michigan punts, Penn State was able to get the first points of the game on a field goal late in the first quarter.

Freshman Drew Allar was the star of the drive, connecting with Tyler Warren for a 19-yard pass early to get Penn State in Michigan territory and using his legs to get another first down in the red zone. 

The Nittany Lions became the first team this season to get inside the 10-yard line against Michigan, and on a pivotal third-and-one, Allar was able to sneak in and get just enough to move the chains, but the offense stalled three yards short of the goal line. Alex Felkins then knocked in a chip shot 20-yard field goal to make it 3-0. — Jordan Mendoza

Michigan AD calls Big Ten ruling ‘insulting’ and ‘unethical’

DETROIT — Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel on Saturday issued a fiery response to the Big Ten’s suspension of Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh amid the football team’s ongoing sign-stealing scandal.

Manuel, who released the statement just before Saturday’s game, described the Big Ten’s action as hasty, claiming the university wasn’t given ‘due process.’ He also described Harbaugh’s suspension as ‘insulting’ and ‘unethical.’

It’s worth noting that Manuel did not deny the evidence in the statement, saying ‘I want to make it clear at the outset of this statement that no one at the University of Michigan is happy to hear of the allegations and preliminary evidence that has come forth about in-person scouting and sign stealing by a member of our football program.’ — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY NETWORK

Opinion: Jim Harbaugh’s suspension isn’t that bad

The punishment he handed out Friday, suspending coach Jim Harbaugh for the team’s three remaining games of the regular season, is guaranteed to make everyone mad. 

Michigan, of course, was going to be mad no matter what Petitti did. But the Big Ten suspending Harbaugh while admitting that it had no evidence he was involved or knew of staffer Connor Stalions’ outrageous in-person scouting operation only makes it that much more frustrating for a school and fan base that is now dug-in on the idea that it did nothing wrong.  — Dan Wolken

Read the complete column here.

Michigan, Penn State stall on opening drives

One first down was all Michigan could get on its opening drive, punting the ball on the first possession of the game.

With offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sherrone Moore acting as head coach Saturday, the Wolverines were able to get a first down on the second play of the game, but a false start derailed the rest of the drive. J.J. McCarthy was sacked on third down, and the Wolverines will give the ball to Penn State.

Penn State wasn’t able to do much, going three-and-out on the offense’s first drive of the game, possibly foreshadowing what could be a low-scoring game. Michigan only gives up 6.7 points per game, best in FBS, while Penn State ranks third by allowing 11.9 points a game. — Jordan Mendoza

College football picks Week 11 

Who will coach Michigan with Jim Harbaugh suspended?

With Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh’s restraining order hearing scheduled for Friday, the Wolverines will be without their head coach against Penn State. 

Moore joined the Wolverines as a tight ends coach in 2018, and became co-offensive coordinator in 2021. This is his first season as the only offensive coordinator.

This won’t be the first game Moore will assume head coach duties, as he had the role for Michigan’s Week 3 win over Bowling Green, 31-6, as Harbaugh served a three-game suspension for school sanctions. — Jordan Mendoza

Where is ESPN’s “College GameDay” in Week 11? 

ESPN’s “College GameDay” heads to Athens, Georgia, for the top-ranked Bulldogs’ game against Ole Miss in Week 11. 

The popular college football morning show was last in Athens just over a year ago, Nov. 5, 2022, for the Georgia-Tennessee game. GameDay has been to Athens at least once every year since 2018, and the Bulldogs are 8-1 over the past two years when playing at a site hosting GameDay. 

College football Week 11 bold predictions

There’s just three Saturdays left in November, and the college football season is getting down to the nitty gritty with playoff berths, conference titles, bowl bids or even just bragging rights there for the taking.

The pressure of the situation can lead to unpredictable results. This Saturday provides plenty of opportunities for upsets and unlikely outcomes. The hard part is determining when and where those moments are going to occur.

That’s why we’re here to make sense of things. The USA TODAY Sports college football staff – Scooby Axson, Jace Evans, Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith, Eddie Timanus and Dan Wolken – weigh in with bold predictions for Week 11 of the college football season.

Former Ohio State coach believes Michigan cheating scandal is ‘insanity’

When asked about Jim Harbaugh’s suspension Friday and the past 24 hours for Michigan football, former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer could only find one word to use: ‘Insanity.’

‘This is insanity,’ Meyer said on Fox’s ‘Big Noon Kickoff.’ ‘You have two teams playing for a conference championship, potentially a national championship. Your head coach is eight miles away.’

As for Michigan’s ‘sign-stealing scheme,’ Meyer said he’s ‘never heard of that’ in his head coaching career.

‘I’ve heard people say ‘Everyone does it.’ I’ve never heard of that in my career,’ Meyer said. — Colin Gay, Columbus Dispatch

College Football Fix 

The saga of the Michigan sign-stealing investigation is continuing on with no end in sight. The NCAA is involved and the Big Ten on Friday suspended coach Jim Harbaugh for the remainder of the regular season. Michigan has filed a restraining order. 

The second College Football Playoff rankings were released Tuesday with Ohio State still ahead of Georgia, though the Bulldogs appear to be peaking at the right time. There’s also scrutiny for the ranking of one-loss teams with Oregon, Alabama and Texas among that group hoping for chaos ahead. 

Dan Wolken and Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports discuss these topics and more in this week’s version of the College Football Fix. 

College football Week 11 games to watch

A cursory glance at the Week 11 college football schedule would suggest that the results will bring a measure of clarity to the playoff picture. The fact of the matter is things are fairly cut and dried already, and only an infusion of chaos that has been conspicuously absent all season will alter the list of actual contenders.

Even so, all of said contenders will be taking the field Saturday, and most of their games should be worth a look. We begin our ranking of the seven most watchable contests with the championship candidate that could be in for its first four-quarter fight of the campaign. — Eddie Timanus

No. 2 Michigan at No. 9 Penn State

Time/TV: Noon ET, Fox.

Why watch: At last, the Wolverines face a ranked opponent, and one that is in a must-win situation at that. After coming up short at Ohio State last month, the Nittany Lions absolutely positively have to have this one to keep any playoff aspirations alive. For all the off-field drama surrounding the Michigan program, there’s been very little of it in game action with the Wolverines outscoring their first nine opponents by an average of 40.7-6.7. The Michigan offense, directed by QB J.J. McCarthy and featuring RB Blake Corum and WR Roman Wilson, is converting at a 55% clip on third down. But on the other side Penn State leads the Big Ten in third-down defense, allowing a conversion rate of 28.7%, with DL Adisa Isaac and Zane Durant leading the effort in the trenches. Nittany Lions QB Drew Allar is coming off arguably his best performance of the season at Maryland. He might need to be even better to solve the Michigan air defense that has swiped 12 passes and returned four to the house, including a pair by Mike Sainristil.

Why it could disappoint: Though it will surely be the subject of pregame discussion, the ongoing signal stealing investigation isn’t likely to mar the game action at this point. But if the contest is another defensive slog as Penn State’s game at Ohio State was, or if one team finds its offense while the other struggles, the fun factor will be severely curtailed. In the latter scenario, Michigan is the more likely candidate to secure a multi-score cushion with its more proven commodities. — Eddie Timanus

No. 8 Alabama at Kentucky

Time/TV: Noon ET, ESPN.

Why watch: The Crimson Tide essentially won the SEC West last week with their LSU victory, but they’ll make it official with a win here in Lexington. The Wildcats have had some moments this season, like a decisive drubbing of Florida, but have for the most part been overmatched by top-tier competition. Tide QB Jalen Milroe has made steady improvement with his passing accuracy, but as LSU learned last week he’s still equally dangerous as a running threat. He’ll likely draw added attention from Wildcats LB D’Eryk Jackson. The Kentucky offense is at its best when RB Ray Davis has room to operate, but that hasn’t been the case against the league’s more accomplished defenses. There are yards to be had against the Tide secondary if Wildcats QB Devin Leary isn’t under duress, but LB Dallas Turner produces a lot of that.

Why it could disappoint: History is not on the side of the Wildcats, who haven’t beaten the Tide since 1997. Kentucky must find some early success to keep its home fans involved, but a fast start from Alabama could put this on ice quickly. — Eddie Timanus

Michigan files for temporary restraining order 

The University of Michigan has filed for a temporary restraining order against the Big Ten’s decision to suspend football coach Jim Harbaugh for the program’s sign-stealing scheme. The hearing was not scheduled in time for a ruling before Saturday’s game, so Harbaugh will not be coaching.

Washtenaw County Circuit Court will hold a hearing for the University of Michigan request at 9 a.m. on Nov. 17, according to multiple reports. The case was first presided by Judge Timothy Connors but later sent to the desk of Judge Carol Kunhke.

The Big Ten announced it was suspending Harbaugh for the remainder of the regular season after concluding Michigan broke the conference’s sportsmanship policy after having a years-long operation of in-person scouting of future opponents, a violation of NCAA rules.

In a statement released Friday afternoon, the school said it was dismayed by Harbaugh’s three-game ban, which will cover Saturday’s game against No. 9 Penn State as well as games against Maryland on Nov. 18 and Ohio State on Nov. 25. — Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports; Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press

Michigan football’s cheating scandal 

The University of Michigan’s football team is embroiled in a practice that’s as old as college football itself: sign-stealing. 

A Michigan staffer has been accused of buying tickets to games against the Wolverines’ conference and possible future College Football Playoff opponents with the sole purpose of stealing signs and scouting so Michigan could have an advantage in games. 

That staffer, Connor Stalions, has resigned and the Big Ten and NCAA are investigating. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has denied any involvement in the sign-stealing scheme. 

Here is the latest of what we know about Michigan and the sign-stealing accusations. — Scooby Axson

Great American Tailgate 

Dive into college football and tailgating traditions in six states, and share your own tailgating experiences with us by using #greatamericantailgate. 

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College football Week 11 odds 

Our college football betting guide can help you get started. 

If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place a bet online. And USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with the online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. — Richard Morin  

All odds provided by BetMGM 

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