Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema has a message for Jim Harbaugh, starting with a question.
In the wake of a report Tuesday that Michigan is refuting some of the NCAA's allegations of illegal sign-stealing levied against the program toward the end of Harbaugh's tenure, Bielema -- who's been at Illinois since 2021 -- referred to a video of Harbaugh from his time with the 49ers in which Harbaugh said, "If you cheat to win, then you’ve already lost."
"Really ... Why did you leave?" Bielema wrote on X. "Was looking forward to playing but understand why you ran to the NFL. See you in the future and can’t wait."
Michigan has been accused of impermissible sign-stealing led by ex-staffer Connor Stalions, who left the program midway through the 2023 season in which the Wolverines went on to win the national championship. Harbaugh jumped to the NFL the following season as head coach of the Chargers and has denied having any knowledge of Stalions' alleged violations.
“You always want to be above reproach, especially when you’re good because you don’t want people coming back and saying ‘Oh, they’re winning because they’re cheating,'" Harbaugh said in the video referenced by Bielema. "We want to be above reproach in everything, do everything by the rules -- because if you cheat to win, then you’ve already lost.”
According to Yahoo! Sports, Michigan is accusing the NCAA of "grossly overreaching" and "wildly overcharging" the program, without any evidence that shows that Harbaugh, current head coach Sherrone Moore or other staff members at the time knew about Stalions' illegal operation.
Illinois faced Harbaugh and Michigan once under Bielema, a two-point win for the Wolverines late in the 2022 season on their way to the College Football Playoff. The Illini took down Michigan this season in the Wolverines' first year under Moore.