TCU defeated Michigan sign-stealing scheme with ‘dummy signals’ strategy in CFP semifinals, after Ohio State alert: Reports

Following an unbeaten regular season in 2022, Michigan lost the College Football Playoff to TCU in a game they were considered a favorite. However, the help the Horned Frogs reportedly got from the Wolverines’ Big Ten rivals paid off and led them to the championship game.

According to Yahoo Sports, TCU received warnings from Ohio State and several other Big Ten teams regarding Michigan's alleged sign-stealing scheme before the semifinal clash. Numerous staff members received phone calls from coaches nationwide concerning the matter.

“Literally everybody we talked to knew,” said one TCU coach. “They’d say, ‘Just so you know, they steal your signals, and they’re going to have everything, so you better change them.’”

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TCU brought out a perfect plan for the game

Equipped with such vital information from many sources ahead of the crucial semifinal matchup, TCU needed to change things up and perfect it before the game. The team was able to come out with a perfect plan that effectively foiled all Michigan sign-stealing attempts.

The Horned Frogs altered many of their play-call signals before the game against the Wolverines. Additionally, they incorporated "dummy signals" to deceive the Michigan coaching staff. TCU players were instructed to disregard the dummy signals.

“Sometimes we froze a play before the snap,” one TCU coach told Yahoo Sports. “We’d call a play, and then we’d signal in another play with an old signal, but we told players to run the original play.”

This worked well for TCU in the Fiesta Bowl as it secured a 51-45 win against Michigan in the highly electrifying matchup. The Horned Frogs, however, went on to lose the championship game woefully to Georgia, ending in a 65-7 blowout.

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Connor Stalions got it wrong in many cases

Michigan staffer Connor Stalions is at the center of the sign-stealing allegations after he was reported to have attended several Big Ten opponents' games in the last two years. However, the football analyst got a lot of things wrong in the Fiesta Bowl against TCU.

“The guy (Stalions) was wrong a couple of times,” one TCU staff member told Yahoo Sports. “We rewatched the TV version of the game. You can see him standing next to the defensive coordinator. He tells something to the coordinator, and he points in the air to mean pass. You can see the playsheet he’s holding with our hand signs on them.”

The NCAA is investigating the whole issue, which could result in significant punishment if Michigan is found guilty. It remains to be seen what becomes of the high-flying Wolverines program following the investigation by the infraction committee.