Sitting behind the podium after the Michigan 

football team’s win over No. 2 Ohio State on 

Saturday, Jim Harbaugh took a moment to look 

around.

Usually, his press conferences strike the same 

somber, frustrated, dejected chords after games 

against the Buckeyes. But when Harbaugh’s well-

documented 0-5 record against his arch rival 

changed during Saturday’s 42-27 victory, so did 

No. 5 Michigan’s season outlook.

And Harbaugh’s tone followed suit.

“The way it feels now, it feels like the beginning,” 

Harbaugh said.

Asked to elaborate, Harbaugh pointed to the 

formative days of the 2021 team. 

“Just everything about the team,” Harbaugh 

said. “Every day, every week, every month. Going 

back to the beginning of this year, it’s always felt 

like the beginning. Accomplish one goal then go to 

the next and the next and the next.”

He’s not wrong. But he’s certainly underselling 

the implications.

For the Wolverines, Saturday was more 

program-altering than season-altering. In a 

three-hour span, Michigan upended its national 

perception with its first win over Ohio State 

since 2011. No longer are the Wolverines a former 

powerhouse gone stagnant. No longer is Harbaugh 

the epitome of a coach that can’t get over the hump.

Long-lasting implications are sure to follow on 

the field and recruiting trail. More importantly, 

though, there’s a new generation of Michigan 

football players who have reached the summit. In 

that sense, it truly is the rebirth of a program — and 

a purpose that no longer seems hollow.

From an outsider’s perspective, it was hard 

to take claims of added emphasis on Ohio State 

seriously given the rivalry’s recent results. But 

within Schembechler Hall, a “What are you doing 

to beat Ohio State today?” sign already proudly 

hangs. Since January, players have asked the 

question of themselves every day.

Now, they know the answer.

“Long term, we’ve set the expectation now,” 

junior quarterback Cade McNamara said. “It’s 

been so long since we beat Ohio State, but we did 

that today. For the guys coming back, now we’ve 

got to do that every single year. We know what it 

took.”

Harbaugh spent the first six years of his tenure 

selling a plan to overtake the Buckeyes. But year after 

year, the Saturday after Thanksgiving repeatedly 

proved it was nothing more than an empty vision. 

He cycled through multiple coordinators on both 

sides of the ball and built teams rooted in almost a 

half-dozen different schemes.

That is, until he found himself this past winter.

In the days and weeks after the Wolverines’ 

2020 season careened to an end, it looked like 

Harbaugh’s tenure might follow suit. But a school-

friendly contract with a unique buyout structure 

and incentive-laden salary kept him at his alma 

mater. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel 

seemingly dared Harbaugh to break through, 

to bring the Wolverines to the upper echelon of 

college football. 

So Harbaugh took a look in the mirror. He 

overhauled the program’s coaching staff and 

culture, delivering a much-needed youth infusion.

From an Xs and Os standpoint, Harbaugh 

has rediscovered himself. In an era of up-tempo, 

no-huddle spread offenses, he and offensive 

coordinator Josh Gattis have gone against the 

grain in 2021. They’ve relied on run-first football 

and 20th-century offensive line fundamentals.

On the other side of the ball, hiring 34-year-

old Mike Macdonald — a first-time defensive 

coordinator — marked a clear departure from 

Harbaugh’s previous philosophy of relying 

on coaching experience. But on Saturday, 

Macdonald’s defense kept the Buckeyes’ offense 

off-balance with a mix of coverages and disguised 

pass rushes.

Harbaugh has always been a non-

conformist, but the 2021 Wolverines take that 

to an extreme.

And on Saturday, all of it was validated.

“You guys should’ve seen him in the locker 

room after the game,” fifth-year offensive 

lineman Andrew Stueber said. “I’ve never seen 

him more happy, more excited. … He’s gone 

through some tough times, he’s faced a lot of 

adversity since he’s been the coach here. To see 

him finally beat Ohio State, as a team, as a unit, 

we knew what this team was capable of, and it all 

starts with him.”

Saturday’s win opens doors Michigan has 

yet to experience under Harbaugh. For the first 

time, the Wolverines will play for a Big Ten 

Championship and College Football Playoff berth 

in Indianapolis.

However, that indication pales in comparison 

to the fact that this might be permanent. In its 

biggest game of the season, in a year full of tests, 

Michigan finally created its own narrative. Led 

by a quirky, unapologetically authentic coach, 

the Wolverines had their own coming out 

party on Saturday. 

“This is one (celebration) that’ll go long into 

the night,” Harbaugh said.

The program-shaping implications, on the 

other hand, will last a whole lot longer.

For Jim Harbaugh, this win opens new doors for his program

S P O R T S W E D N E S D A Y

DANIEL DASH
Daily Sports Editor

Photos by Allison 
Engkvist, Madeline Hin-
kley/Daily. Page Design 
by Brittany Bowman

