COLUMBUS, Ohio— Hail to the victor, because he who stayed was the champion.
Jim Harbaugh won.
It is undeniable, even if it stings Ohio State and college football fans deeply, but it is the truth. He triumphed in his own unique style, enthusiastically praising “Michigan Men” everywhere.
And once he returns to the Chargers and the NFL, he’ll be able to reminisce about how he beat everyone and everything he needed to.
He defeated Ohio State. He defeated the NCAA. He overcame the SEC. He even outperformed at Michigan, winning there as well. It took him a while to get there, but Harbaugh earned the last and loudest laugh against each and every one of his adversaries.
His 86-25 record at Michigan, which includes three Big Ten championships, three College Football Playoff appearances, and a national championship victory, speaks for itself. But his victories, particularly since 2021, go beyond the field.
When Harbaugh joined the Wolverines for the 2015 season, they’d beaten the Buckeyes only once since 2003 — and hadn’t won in Columbus since 2000. That run lasted five years under Harbaugh, leaving it doubtful whether Michigan would ever upset Ohio State again.
And then he won. Repeatedly.
His record against Ohio State is 2-5 (excluding the 2023 game for which he was suspended), but it feels more like a praise after Michigan has won three straight games over its rivals, two of which were decisive victories. He never defeated Urban Meyer, yet since Harbaugh arrived at Michigan, the Wolverines have won more national championships than the Buckeyes.
Oh, and those games he missed? That is the most discipline he will ever face from the Big Ten and NCAA for multiple rule infractions, as he leaves two separate investigations into the program in his wake.
The first one resulted in a three-game suspension at the start of the season for breaking recruiting standards. The second one, significantly more serious, was for the sign-stealing scandal involving former employee Connor Stalions. In addition, he received a three-game suspension.
Whether the NCAA smacks Michigan on the wrist or drops the hammer, Harbaugh will not lose any sleep over it. He will not have to answer those questions or deal with the consequences of what occurred at Michigan during his tenure.
After being annihilated by Georgia in a semifinal game in 2021, Harbaugh guided the Wolverines to a national title just two years later by defeating the SEC champions, headed by the greatest coach in the sport’s history. Nick Saban’s career will not be known for his losses, but Harbaugh and Wolverine fans everywhere will be able to smile knowing that Harbaugh defeated Saban in his final game.
The veteran-laden Michigan squad, which defeated Washington a week later, has already lost 20 significant contributors, with more expected in the soon-to-open 30-day transfer portal window. Harbaugh will not have to cope with replacing any of them, including the one he characterized as the best quarterback in the program’s rich history. That isn’t his problem anymore.
He (indirectly) chastised Ryan Day for being “Born on third base,” but he never had to face the consequences. His teams destroyed Ohio State in two of the last three seasons, and he never had to see his beloved Michigan Men confront a comeback. He will now teach Justin Herbert, one of the NFL’s most talented quarterbacks, at an organization that urgently needs stability.
And, with all due respect to Ann Arbour and none to its weather, he even gets to improve by moving to lovely, sunny Los Angeles, where the weather on Wednesday was 30 degrees warmer than it was where the national championship trophy is located.
It appears that whatever Harbaugh does, he always wins.
His final chuckle, however, comes from the fact that despite all of the people, teams, and organizations he has defeated or overcome, he will emerge unscathed. He relished the rewards of success knowing that he would never have to face the wrath of a winning Buckeyes team, a resentful Day, or a prying NCAA investigation committee again.
So, as the sport bids farewell to one of the most intriguing characters in college football over the previous decade, the fact is obvious, even if it hurts some people to say it aloud:
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