Heat is on for Harbaugh

Conventional wisdom heading into this college football season has been that there is unlikely to be much coaching turnover.

Between pandemic- related revenue losses and the complications of trying to evaluate performance under such unusual circumstances, the coaching carousel figured to be quiet.

Then Michigan started 1- 2 in its sixth season under coach Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverines lost 38- 21 at No. 13 Indiana on Saturday, snapping a 24- game winning streak against the Hoosiers that dated to 1987.

Harbaugh has only one more season left after this on his original contract, which has made him one of the highest- paid head coaches in college football.

The khaki- clad former Wolverines quarterback made Michigan better, became a content machine for sports media and lost all five games against Ohio State. Whatever issues Harbaugh has had, his teams have never won fewer than eight regular- season games and rarely lost to the teams Michigan is supposed to beat.

Michigan is supposed to beat Indiana. Michigan is supposed to beat a Michigan State team that has now sandwiched losses to Rutgers and Iowa ( 49- 7) around a victory at the Big House.

The Big Ten is such a mess there is probably a path to a respectable season for Michigan, but it’s pretty clear the program is trending in the wrong direction.

Firing Harbaugh after a truncated and odd season does not seem like the Michigan way. The more interesting question: Does Harbaugh want to do this anymore? A scenario in which Harbaugh decides he has done all he can with the job and moves on without hurting Michigan financially seems plausible.

Is an Ohio State man what Michigan needs? Ex- Buckeyes player and assistant Luke Fickell has No. 6 Cincinnati looking like a playoff contender. He turned down the Michigan State job when it opened.

The most obvious solution for Michigan might be in the Big 12. Iowa State’s Matt Campbell’s record ( 30- 27) might not be enough to impress Michigan fans, but he’s having uncommon success in Ames.