The Wolverines were involved in an alleged sign-stealing scandal
When the Big Ten suspended Jim Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season, members of the Michigan football team responded with one word on social media: Bet.
It was their rallying cry the rest of the season and helped them win a national championship.
It's slang for OK, especially when accepting a challenge.
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Blake Corum (2) of the Michigan Wolverines reacts as he holds the national championship trophy after defeating the Washington Huskies at NRG Stadium Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was the first to post it on X, formerly Twitter. Several others did the same, including Michigan alum Tom Brady.
The word was then added to T-shirts and hats for fans. Michigan then started using it as an acronym for "Bringing Everyone Together."
"Our mindset was, 'You can take our coach, you can take whatever you want, but we’re still gonna play this game.’ So everyone just started saying ‘bet,'" running back and national championship offensive MVP Blake Corum told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
"‘What else do you want to throw at us? Bring it on. We’re able to handle it.’ So, that’s how it all started, and it all just carried throughout the season, like, ‘Bet.’"
Blake Corum of the Michigan Wolverines reacts during a press conference after the 2024 CFP national championship game at NRG Stadium Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. Michigan defeated Washington 34-13. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Harbaugh was suspended for ties to an alleged sign-stealing scandal. The Wolverines may have won it all, but the scandal has prompted naysayers to suggest the title is illegitimate.
Corum had a similar response to that.
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"It’s really ‘bet.’ That’s all I gotta say," he said.
"At the end of the day, what else do you want us to prove, man? Whatever came out in the beginning of the season, after that, you say we stole signals.
"We went on the road and beat Penn State, beat Ohio State, beat Iowa, beat Alabama, beat Washington. All of these teams are top 10 in each category — offense and defense. We handled business. So, yeah, bet."
Blake Corum of the Michigan Wolverines walks off the field after defeating the Washington Huskies in the 2024 CFP national championship game at NRG Stadium Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
It was Michigan's first title since 1997, when it split the honor with Nebraska. Harbaugh may now return to the NFL for his next coaching gig.
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