Jim Harbaugh finally has resilient Michigan at ‘big-boy table’ with ultimate goal in reach

It was roughly nine years ago that Jim Harbaugh returned to his alma mater a conquering hero.

Hours after he was introduced as the next Michigan football coach, there was a “Khakis Out,” with fans wearing a Michigan shirt, baseball cap and Harbaugh’s trademark khaki pants, taking over a December basketball game at Crisler Arena.

Greatness was expected. Championships were supposed to follow.

“You want to be at the big-boy table,” Harbaugh said at the time. “This is what we signed up for — this is what I signed up for.”

Nearly a decade later, Michigan has earned its spot at that coveted table led by its controversial coach who spent almost as many games this season suspended (six) as he did on the sideline (seven). Love him or hate him, and unless you’re a maize and blue devotee, you probably are in the latter category, it’s impossible not to at least respect Harbaugh.

Not after his team showed incredible resolve in battling past Alabama, 27-20 in overtime, in the Rose Bowl on Monday, earning a shot at the school’s first national championship since 1997 on Jan. 8 in Houston. Not after he flipped the script on his tenure, going from underwhelming the first six years to dominating the last three. He turned the Ohio State rivalry on its head, and now has the Wolverines 60 minutes from a championship despite all the time he’s been forced to spend away from the team. Now, he’s obviously a major part of the reason for that — the first suspension was issued by the school amid an investigation of alleged recruiting violations and the second came from the Big Ten over the sign-stealing and in-game scouting scandal — but Michigan staying together without its leader also speaks to the job he’s done.

“It’s almost been an unfair advantage, all the things the team has gone through,” the 60-year-old Harbaugh said after Michigan’s biggest win in over two decades. “We don’t care any more. We don’t care what people say. We don’t care about anything that comes up. We just know we’re gonna overcome it.”

Let’s not forget, Michigan was a disrespected favorite. Alabama was the team nobody wanted to play. There was that video that went viral of the Wolverines hardly looking pleased at the College Football Playoff announcement in early December, and the fact that the Crimson Tide was coming off a mammoth upset of Georgia.

Michigan didn’t play nearly the schedule that Alabama did, and had hardly been impressive down the stretch. It wasn’t even an overwhelming favorite to get past Ohio State on Thanksgiving weekend.

Harbaugh’s team has kept on winning despite the doubts, despite the sign-sealing saga that rocked college football and led to the second three-game suspension for Harbaugh that included that Ohio State game. The Wolverines refused to let it become a distraction. They got past the SEC champion on New Year’s Day, its first win in the College Football Playoff in three tries, when the defense stuffed Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe on a keeper on fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line in overtime.

‘We’re so together, we’re so connected,” Harbaugh said on ESPN. “We’re going to overcome anything.”

Michigan will be the favorite to win it all Jan. 8 in Houston, whether it is Washington or Texas on the opposing sideline, and it absolutely should be.

Michigan was dominant over the game’s first 30 minutes, out-gaining Alabama, 197-96, and sacking Milroe five times. Alabama was limited to 2.5 yards per carry. Really, it should’ve been ahead by more than three points, but mistakes and missed opportunities allowed the Crimson Tide to stay close.

During the lengthy intermission, Alabama coach Nick Saban made major adjustments, most notably going to the run game to neutralize Michigan’s pass rush. The Wolverines’ offense, meanwhile, was shut down. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was inaccurate and Alabama wouldn’t let Michigan run the ball with much success. Even when Milroe fumbled, setting the Wolverines up at their own 49-yard line early in the fourth quarter down four points, Michigan couldn’t capitalize.

Alabama had regained control, or so it seemed. Michigan had other ideas, displaying an iron jaw when one was desperately needed. McCarthy found his game when he had to, leading Michigan on a memorable 75-yard, eight-play drive to pull the Wolverines even with 1:34 remaining. It included a gutsy fourth-and-2 conversion at their own 33 and included McCarthy running for 16 yards and completing 3 of 4 passes for 60 yards. It scored the game’s final 14 points, taking over in winning time.

This was the game Michigan couldn’t win for so long. Sure, it had beaten Ohio State three consecutive times, but the Wolverines hadn’t come through in the playoff. Last year, they blew a golden opportunity against Cinderella TCU, which was embarrassed in the title game by Georgia.

Those Bulldogs, who had ended Michigan’s season two years ago, aren’t in the playoff this time standing in the way. Alabama took care of them, and Michigan took care of the Crimson Tide, earning a shot at the school’s first national championship in 27 years.

It’s uncertain what will happen after Jan. 8. There are rumors that Harbaugh will move on to the NFL — he has yet to sign a massive contract extension that Michigan has offered — after reportedly finding new representation in NFL agent Don Yee.

But at this point, no matter what else is going on, it’s hard to pick against Michigan in a week. On the first day of 2024, it answered the bell like it hasn’t in a long time. Harbaugh has the Wolverines at the big-boy table, just as he promised he would nine years ago.