Michigan 'America's Team' To Jim Harbaugh. Yes, If America Is An Accused Cheater

Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is back off his game suspension at Penn State.

And he came out swinging hard for his Wolverines and for America at his weekly press conference on Monday. The Michigan head coach is currently under suspension by the Big Ten for what it terms an organized, systemic, illegal in-person scouting and sign-stealing scheme spanning years that the NCAA and the conference is currently investigating.

Jim Harbaugh may or may not coach again this regular season for the Michigan Wolverines because of a Big Ten suspension. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

"The perseverance and then just the stalwart-ness of these guys," Harbaugh said at the press conference. "I mean, yeah, watching, I would have to say it's got to be America's team. It's got to be America's team."

Big Ten Suspension Only For Michigan Regular Season Games

The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh Friday for the remaining regular season game days only, beginning last Saturday at Penn State, where Michigan won without Harbaugh, 24-15. Unless, Harbaugh and Michigan are granted a temporary restraining order in court in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Friday, he will have to miss the Wolverines' game at Maryland Saturday.

Michigan (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) has one more regular season game after that - at home against No. 1 Ohio State (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) on Nov. 25.

Harbaugh was not allowed at the venue of the Michigan-Penn State game. He watched it in his hotel room in State College, Pennsylvania.

Michigan, AKA America's Team, Allegedly Cheated

"America loves a team that beats the odds, beats the adversity, overcomes what the naysayers, critics, so-called experts think," Harbaugh said.

In Harbaugh's mind, America loves a team accused of rampant cheating by using electronics and other equipment to film and record other team's sidelines during other games to get signs and signals contrary to NCAA rules so as to use them in games against Michigan.

"That's my favorite kind of team," Harbaugh said. "Watching it from that view on the TV, finally people get to see what I see every day."

Harbaugh at first said he would testify in the hearing Friday.

Wolverines' Harbaugh Suspended For Sign Stealing Scheme

"Looking for due process," he said. "I took a Civics class 40 years ago. You're innocent until proven guilty. I'd like that opportunity."

Like most, though, Jim Harbaugh is confusing the United States justice system with the NCAA and its member conferences, which do not have the burden of proof as the court system has. But even in the court system, one can be jailed - or in this case suspended while awaiting due process amid their innocence until proven guilty.

Later, Harbaugh said he may not testify Friday, saying "thundering away at a jury," might not be good.

"That's not my dance floor," he said. "I've watched a lot of shows. I've watched Judge Judy a lot."

Big Ten Has Displayed A Lot Of Evidence Against Michigan

Considering the evidence the Big Ten and the NCAA already have that does not paint "America's team" in a very red, white and blue light, my money would be on Judge Judy to rip Harbaugh's and Michigan's case to shreds.

Harbaugh said neither he nor Michigan first heard of the suspension from the Big Ten.

"Somebody just showed me their phone," he said. "Via social media."

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel did not like that.

"Warde was pretty upset that we didn't hear through the office," Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh did not comment specifically on the Big Ten's suspension.

"I'm not going to make any comments about how things stand with the ongoing circumstances, because we have a hearing on Friday," he said.