Photo: Ohio Transportation Dept. Trolls Michigan Fans with Road Sign Before OSU Game

Even though the Michigan-Ohio State game doesn't have the same stakes this year as it did in recent seasons because the Wolverines are having a down year, that doesn't mean there's any love lost between the two states.

The Ohio Department of Transportation trolled Michigan with a message on one of the road signs before Saturday's showdown between the Big Ten rivals.

The message is a reference to the Connor Stalions saga that put a dark cloud over an otherwise stellar season for the Wolverines during the 2023 season.

Stalions, who was a staffer for Michigan on Jim Harbaugh's staff, was alleged to have attended games for future opponents himself and directed others to attend those games, film the sidelines and decode signals from the team.

In a Netflix documentary series about the scandal (h/t ESPN's Adam Rittenberg and Mark Schlabach), Stalions said during an interview with NCAA investigators he never stole signs via in-person scouting.

Stalions resigned from his position with the school amid the scandal. Harbaugh was suspended for the final three games of the regular season by the Big Ten.

Michigan received a notice of allegations from the NCAA in August. Harbaugh, former linebackers coach Chris Partridge and former assistant director of personnel Denard Robinson were each accused of Level I violations, the most serious under NCAA discipline.

Sherrone Moore, who took over as head coach after Harbaugh was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers, is considered a potential "repeat offender" by the NCAA after he previously negotiated a resolution stemming from recruiting violations during a COVID-19 dead period.

Michigan finished the 2023 season with a 15-0 record and a victory in the College Football Playoff Championship Game.

The Wolverines have won three straight games in the series, but they enter Saturday's matchup with a 6-5 record this season. It's their first season with at least five losses since 2017 (8-5).

Ohio State is 10-1 and ranked No. 2 in the College Football Playoff Top 25 poll. The Buckeyes can clinch a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game against Oregon with a win on Saturday.