NCAA President Charlie Baker: Nobody can say Michigan didn't win national title 'fair and square'

PHOENIX (AP) — NCAA President Charlie Baker says Michigan won the national championship “fair and square” and defended his decision to inform the school and the Big Ten during the season that the association's enforcement staff was investigating allegations of an in-person scouting and sign-stealing scheme.

The top-ranked Wolverines beat No. 2 Washington to win the College Football Playoff on Monday night, capping a perfect season, the back half of which was shadowed by the NCAA investigation and led to the Big Ten's three-game suspension of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.

In a meeting with reporters, Baker explained why the NCAA took the unusual step of informing parties involved in the investigation last October.

“We were approached by a third party, who said they had evidence that Michigan was involved in a very comprehensive and unusual sign-stealing scheme,” Baker said late Tuesday. That party was told they needed to come in person to NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis to present evidence to enforcement staff as part of a vetting process.