Central Michigan football coach Jim McElwain addresses Stalions sideline investigation

Central Michigan head football coach Jim McElwain on Tuesday night addressed the university's investigation into whether since-suspended Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions was on the sidelines for the season-opening CMU-Michigan State game.

Stalions, 28, is at the center of the sign-stealing allegations against Michigan, currently ranked No. 2 in the country and No. 3 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, as the NCAA investigates the scope of the alleged scheme to illegally gain access to opponents' play calls.

Photos started circulating online Tuesday morning showing a person who appeared to be Stalions, in full Chippewas gear, on the sideline for the Sept. 1 game in East Lansing.

"... We are obviously aware of a picture floating around of ... the sign-stealer guy," McElwain said following his team's 37-31 victory over Northern Illinois in Mount Pleasant, in a video posted by Kennedy Broadwell, a sports reporter at 9&10 News. "Our people are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of it.

"... We ... were totally unaware of it. I certainly don't condone it in any way, shape, or form, and I do know that his name was on none of the passes that were let out; we keep tracing it back and tracing it back and try to figure it out. But, it's in good hands with our people, and again, there's no place in football for that."

If it's verified that Stalions was on the Central Michigan sideline in a game against a future Michigan opponent — Michigan and Michigan State played at Spartan Stadium on Oct. 21 — it could be the first evidence that Stalions violated NCAA rule 11.6.1 “Off-campus, in-person scouting prohibition”. That rule states “off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited, except as provided in Bylaws 11.6.1.1 and 11.6.1.2 (same event at the same site)." This rule was adopted in 1994. There are no rules against in-game sign stealing.

McElwain's comments came after Central Michigan had to the hold off Northern Illinois in a Mid-American Conference thriller played in snowy conditions.

Jase Bauer threw for one touchdown and rushed for two more, and Marion Lukes had 202 yards rushing and a score. Bauer gave CMU a 37-11 lead with 6:32 remaining in the third quarter. But NIU answered two plays later when former Michigan State quarterback Rocky Lombardi connected with Trayvon Rudolph on a 72-yard score to begin a stretch of 20 straight points.

The NIU defense forced a three-and-out with 1:42 remaining in the fourth to get another chance on offense. But the Huskies turned it over on third down when Nahree Biggins made his first interception of the season.

Central Michigan (5-4, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) needs one win in its final three games — Western Michigan, Ohio and Toledo — to become bowl eligible.

The Chippewas, who entered averaging 138 yards on the ground, finished with a season-high 331 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Bauer threw for 116 yards and rushed for 106.

Antario Brown, ranked second in the MAC with 676 rushing yards, had 167 yards rushing for Northern Illinois (4-5, 3-2), which had a three-game winning streak snapped. Lombardi was 19 of 34 for 288 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

The Associated Press contributed.