Third time's the charm for Michigan.
After falling in the College Football Playoff semifinals for two straight years, the top-seeded Wolverines stayed alive in a season filled with turmoil to get a 27-20 overtime win against Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
It was Jim Harbaugh's second bowl win since taking over his alma mater, though the college football world wasn't even sure if the Wolverines would make it this far this year. A cheating scandal and investigation by the NCAA threatened to derail another dominant season.
And what better way to make history than with the central figure in the sign-stealing affair, Connor Stalions, apparently on hand to see it all?
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Was Connor Stalions at the Rose Bowl?
The former Michigan staffer was in fact at the Rose Bowl. Stalions, who was fired in November amid a sign-stealing scandal that nearly cost the program its season, returned to watch his former team advance to the CFP National Championship.
Former Wolverines linebacker Chase Winovich posted Stalions in his Instagram story before kickoff.
"Connor, what are you thinking, bro?" Winovich asked Stalions, who responded, "It's time." His private account was tagged in the video.
According to former Michigan LB Chase Winovich's Instagram story, Connor Stalions was in attendance for the Wolverines' Rose Bowl win over Alabama 🌹 pic.twitter.com/0bWNstuDdW
— The Athletic CFB (@TheAthleticCFB) January 2, 2024
Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic confirmed via "multiple sources" that Stalions was indeed at the New Year's Day game.
In a statement provided to the The Athletic after his termination, Stalions said he would continue to support the Wolverines, even after being forced out of the program.
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Who is Connor Stalions?
Stalions was a "low-level" staffer with the Michigan football program. He played an integral role in the team's investigation this season, which included illegal sign-stealing and in-person scouting.
On Oct. 20, he was suspended with pay as word of potential wrongdoing emerged. Soon after, reports surfaced that he bought tickets for more than 30 games at opposing Big Ten schools over three years. Images even surfaced of Stalions standing on the sidelines of the Central Michigan-Michigan State game in September, presumably scouting the Spartans ahead of their game against the Wolverines.
During the NCAA investigation, which resulted in a three-game suspension for Harbaugh, a manifesto was uncovered. Stalions' "Michigan Manifesto," as it was titled, was a 600-page document that highlighted long-term plans to run the Wolverines' program.
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"I've grown up my entire life with a vision to coach football at Michigan," he told a blog in 2022.
That won't be happening, as the retired U.S. Marine Corps captain was fired Nov. 3, but his fanhood hasn't waned.