The Myth of the NCAA “Hammer”: Ohio State Fans Got Played
For nearly two years, Ohio State fans held onto a dream.
This dream convinced them that Michigan’s success from 2021 to 2023 would be stripped away—that victories would be vacated, the national championship would be taken, and the Wolverines would face a multi-year postseason ban. Some even believed that Michigan’s head coach, Sherrone Moore, would be fired as a result of the NCAA investigation. Fans bought into this fantasy wholeheartedly.
The problem? That fantasy was never going to become reality. 
On Friday, the NCAA finally handed down its penalties to the University of Michigan in connection with the sign-stealing scheme led by former staffer Connor Stalions. The heaviest penalty? A fine estimated to be over $30 million. Former head coach Jim Harbaugh received a 10-year show-cause penalty for his lack of compliance, though it holds little weight since he likely won’t be coaching in college football again. Stalions himself received an 8-year show-cause penalty, and current head coach Sherrone Moore was hit with a two-year show-cause and a one-game suspension.
While these penalties aren’t great for Michigan, they fall far short of the “hammer” many Ohio State fans believed was coming. As a result, those fans are now venting their frustration at the NCAA, blaming them for not following through on the punishment they were promised.
Ohio State fans were so eager to see Michigan’s success undermined that they swallowed up fake reports from internet personalities and even some media outlets, all claiming that a massive NCAA penalty was imminent. These so-called “insiders” weren’t spreading the truth—they were just feeding lies to an audience desperate to believe anything that would discredit Michigan. Their goal wasn’t to inform, but to generate clicks, views, and subscribers. Sadly, many Ohio State fans fell for it, fueling platforms based on misinformation.
Now, the truth is clear: Michigan’s dominance over Ohio State is real. Michigan’s 2023 national championship is legitimate. There are no vacated wins, no postseason bans, and no mythical “hammer” that will take it all away. The excuses have officially run out.
Of course, some will continue to spin the narrative. The same voices who spread these false predictions will try to twist the NCAA’s final ruling and keep pushing the idea that Michigan’s success is somehow tainted. But the facts are there. For two years, social media was flooded with doomsday predictions that never came to pass—and we know who was naïve enough to buy into them.
Instead of blaming the NCAA for a decision that anyone with a clear view could have predicted, maybe Ohio State fans should take a hard look at themselves. You’re not victims of an unfair system—you’re victims of your own wishful thinking.
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