Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh - Paul Sancya/AP
Since the summer before the 2023 Big Ten season, the talk has continuously been surrounded by controversy. The conference is already made fun of in the college football world for being low-scoring and featuring mainly punts. The other situations are not going to help these programs grow. From Northwestern to Michigan, here is a look at the controversies the 2023 Big Ten conference has faced this season and why this is an issue.
Northwestern Hazing
Back in July, the Northwestern Wildcats had to fire their head coach, Pat Fitzgerald. After 17 years, Northwestern is with a different head coach. The reason for this is that it was reported that the team was being accused of hazing and racism. The reason for Fitzgerald’s firing is because of his knowledge of what has been going on, and he did nothing to stop it.
Northwestern’s 2023 season is going better than expected. Going from one win in 2023 to as of now six wins is huge. Having to switch head coaches, and reaching six wins exceeds expectations. David Braun, who has been serving as interim head coach officially was named head coach ahead of week 12 of the season, and it is a deserved position.
Michigan State’s Firing
Northwestern’s head coach being fired is not the only one throughout the 2023 Big Ten season. Michigan State head coach, Mel Tucker was fired in September. He was accused of sexual misconduct. This is another example of a coach losing their job due to a scandal, and it is what is most known of the school’s 2023 season.
The Michigan State Spartans now have a 4-7 record following a big win against the Indiana Hoosiers. Their final game of the season is against the Penn State Nittany Lions. The team will not be hitting six wins this season, but people will talk about how they let go of their head coach.
Michigan (Beginning of Season)
Where to start with the Michigan Wolverines? This has been all the talk in the 2023 Big Ten football season. To start the 2023 season, head coach Jim Harbaugh had to miss the first three games of the season. This is due to an ongoing NCAA investigation regarding alleged violations during the COVID-19 pandemic. With how long it takes the NCAA to enforce penalties, it took until the 2023 season for that to happen.
Current Michigan Situation
In a full circle moment, Harbaugh is currently missing the final three games of the Wolverines season. He has already missed two, one against Penn State and one against Maryland. In the final game of the season, Michigan will have a big game against Ohio State, Harbaugh’s third suspension. All of this is due to alleged sign stealing, and the suspension was given out by the Big Ten.
Michigan is undefeated and currently stands at third in the College Football Playoff Rankings. Harbaugh will be allowed to coach for the conference title if Michigan defeats Ohio State. He will also be allowed to play in the College Football Playoffs. Until then, offensive coordinator, Sherrone Moore is the acting head coach as they face their final 2023 Big Ten opponent.
Why This Hurts the 2023 Big Ten
There is so much that people could be talking about regarding the 2023 Big Ten season. This is the last time everyone will see the conference as we know it. With the realignment happening in the 2024 season, everything will change. This is what everyone should be talking about, especially with all the talk around Washington and USC this year. But, with all the scandals, football is not the focus. Ohio State and Michigan is going to be an exciting game, and while many will talk about the two teams specifically, a lot of talk will be about Harbaugh’s suspension.
Big Ten football gets made fun of for being low-scoring, and always having the teams punt the ball. Going into the season, it is always expected that Michigan and Ohio State will come up on top, and usually Penn State in third. The excitement is not always there, and adding these various issues is not a good look for the conference.
There have been other impressive things to happen in the 2023 Big Ten season. Iowa has managed to reach a 9-2 record despite various injuries on offense. Rutgers has had a strong defense and this is the best that the team has been in a decade. Wisconsin has underperformed, which is not good, but at least it is more football-related conversations that could be happening.
This is not the fault of the fans, and nothing can be done by the average person. These are issues that are hurting the conference. Hopefully, the 2023 season can end on a higher note, but who knows what allegations are going to come out next?
