Well, he’s the commissioner of the Big Ten. That’s 14 teams. Despite what some on the Michigan board think, they are no more important than anyone else. They are 1 of 14. No more, no less. The vote is apparently a strong 13-1.
If 13 ADs, coaches, and university presidents are pushing a commissioner to act over obvious and well documented cheating, he’s going to act. He has the authority to suspend, fine, and go further with the approval of the presidents and chancellors.
Whether he loses in court is unknown. I know Michigan fans are pushing that mantra but, frankly, they aren’t neutral arbiters on the subject. Petitti has plenty of Big Ten lawyers advising him as well (and IiRC he’s a Harvard lawyer himself??). Time will tell.
Plus, any lawsuits open Michigan computers, texts, emails, etc to discovery and depositions. There’s no hiding like Stalions and company can do with just the NCAA investigators. The Michigan posters always seem to forget the flip side of the lawsuit path.