Michigan’s Harbaugh expects OSU game to echo Bo, Woody
With more television cameras and media members recording his thoughts than at any point this season, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was asked during his Monday news conference to reflect on the famous words he uttered in 1986, when he guaranteed a victory over Ohio State and a trip to the Rose Bowl.
“I know some people like to get up and pontificate about everything they did in the past and have a lot of long stories about that,” Harbaugh said. “But I'm not one of those kind of guys. I'm not a guy that likes to talk about things that happened 35 years ago.”
The knee-jerk reaction is to assume Harbaugh, whose team hosts Ohio State on Saturday, was dodging a question revisiting one of the more iconic moments in a rivalry filled with them. But the truth is Harbaugh merely recycled an answer he has given several times this season when asked about his past. He's generally disinterested in sharing “war stories.”
His only departure from the party line was to invoke Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes — the legendary coaches at Michigan and Ohio State — when asked about the keys to victory this weekend.
“We'll be channeling Bo and Woody: blocking and tackling,” Harbaugh said. “The game will, in large part, come down to it.”
The stakes attached to Saturday's game add another layer of intrigue for the resumption of a rivalry paused by the coronavirus last season. At 10-1 overall and with a 7-1 record in conference play, the Wolverines must beat Ohio State to advance to the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis, where a victory could propel them to the College Football Playoff.
Harbaugh first began referring to the importance of a playoff mindset in the buildup to his team's game against Michigan State. That frame of reference became even more relevant after Michigan lost in East Lansing. Players and coaches spoke openly about the need to win out if they wanted to achieve their ultimate goal.
“Both teams have a lot on the line,” Harbaugh said. “It's a true playoff in that sense. In the College Football Playoff world, this is the start of the playoffs. The team that wins will advance. The team that doesn't, won't. It's that and it's also, you know, the big game, the game, the rivalry.”
Holiday precautions amid COVID-19 spike
Families and friends of Michigan football players have flooded Ann Arbor this week ahead of Thanksgiving. The team will hold practice and meetings Thursday morning so the players can spend the afternoon and evening with loved ones.
The combination of heavy travel, holiday gatherings and shared meals comes at a time when Michigan endures a significant spike in COVID-19 cases. Hospitalizations in Michigan are up 46% the last two weeks, according to a New York Times database.
The tight 48-hour window between Thanksgiving and kickoff against the Buckeyes makes it less likely potential transmission of COVID-19 would influence Saturday's game as symptoms can take a few days to develop. But there's a very real possibility the virus could affect teams preparing for conference championship games next week.