The Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes prepare to face each other in what is the biggest CFB rivalry this Saturday. The next game will decide the destiny of the two 10-0 undefeated teams on whether they’ll be able to make it to the Big Ten Championship Game berth or secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. But as the game inches closer, there is a fear that the absence of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh could impact The Game. 

The situation leading up to The Game has made the whole event even more intriguing this year. Jim Harbaugh is still serving his recent 3-game suspension following the sign-stealing scandal. Meanwhile, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day is determined to win against Michigan for the first time since 2019. The Wolverines have fared fairly well without their head coach in the last two games. But the question remains- Can they still win The Game without Harbaugh?

Jim Harbaugh’s suspension adds to tension for Michigan before The Game

Stepping into his alma mater as the head coach in 2015, Jim Harbaugh turned the program around. His record stands at 85-25 out of 110 games in his time at Michigan. This season, he was suspended for three games, but the Wolverines still managed to go undefeated. Following the suspension pertaining to the sign-stealing scandal, Michigan’s Offensive Coordinator Sherrone Moore took his place. 

Despite his suspension ahead of the Penn State game, the last 31-24 win against Maryland marks the 1,000th victory for the 59-year-old in his career as the head coach for nearly a decade in Michigan. But even though Jim Harbaugh is still able to train his team on non-game days, I feel his absence from the sideline impacts the team even in the smallest ways. Without him on the sideline, Michigan star QB JJ McCarthy suffered without touchdowns and completed only 19 passes in 31 attempts. 

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Michigan vs. Ohio State – The Game

The Week 12 final game between Michigan and Ohio State is what everybody’s been waiting for. This is where The Game happens as the two unbeaten teams face each other for the 119th time at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. The event will Mark the 14th College Gameday in Ann Arbor where Michigan leads with 10-3 in their total 13 appearances. 

Michigan and Ohio State just emerged victorious from their games against Maryland (31-24) and Minnesota (37-3), respectively. If Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines win the upcoming CFB rivalry game, it will be their third straight win over Day’s Buckeyes since 1995-1997.

The winner will secure a spot to compete with Iowa in the Big Ten championship game. The loser may still be able to proceed to the College Football Playoff but for top college football teams like Michigan and Ohio State, their eyes are set on the bigger prize. Personally, Michigan has a better edge as they’ll be playing at home. 

Ohio State Buckeyes lead The Game 8-0

As The Game approaches, replacement head coach Sherrone Moore is aware of the pressure that’s building up. He said, “We all know what it means. It’s The Game. It’s the one you practice, you play for, you work for all year. So, we all know the stakes. And that would give us a chance to go to repeat our Big Ten title.” As Moore has stated, everything they’ve worked for will rise or crumble with the next game as “all focus and preparation is on this game.”

Ohio State had been dominating The Game from 2012-19. The teams didn’t play in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But since 2021, Michigan has come back with renewed strength and power defeating their rival team 42-27 and 45-23 last season. Ryan Day said, “There are guys with scars, and I’m one of them. It just drives you every day to work harder and make sure you do everything possible to win the game.”

Michigan Scandal Set to Cost Coach Jim Harbaugh $36 Million As the Whistleblower Gets Unmasked, per Rumors

Michigan is still impressive when it comes to offense but it has undergone a setback in 2023. The team managed to average nearly 240 yards per game and 5.6 yards per carry last season. However, it has degraded this season with 171 yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry. Defense-wise, Michigan leads the nation with a total defense of 234.8 yards per game and 9.0 scoring defense while Ohio State stands second with 9.3 scoring defense and third with 252.9 total defense. 

As a highly suspenseful game awaits tomorrow, many fans are vouching their support for the Michigan Wolverines. Even with Jim Harbaugh absent from The Game, there is a good chance that Michigan might emerge victorious. One of these two undefeated teams will lose their winning streak tomorrow. Make sure you don’t miss this biggest college football game of the season. 

WATCH THIS STORY: Coach Jim Harbaugh Sets The Record Straight On Michigan’s Sign-Stealing Incident