"Don't get me wrong, Notre Dame is a great team. Every game is important. But Maryland isn't going anywhere, and we'll be ready to focus on the Terrapins once the final seconds tick off the clock on Saturday."
Harbaugh knows that the Irish could be a trap game, given what awaits them in the weeks ahead against Maryland and the Indiana Hoosiers. Tempting as it may be for the Wolverines to take a peek at their upcoming schedule, the bright gold shiny objects on the heads of the Fighting Irish players will hopefully keep the maize and blue focused on that other team from Indiana who'll be lining up against them this weekend.
Hahaha. Ha. Ha. Ahem. No, this didn't happen. Yet for many Wolverine fans it very well could have, given the way their team rolls through the weakest opponents on its schedule yet can't seem to get up for the strongest ones. Obvious parody aside, the Wolverines faithful are left to wonder if the most favorable of scenarios will be enough to help Harbaugh break the "can't win the big games" curse this Saturday night, and give them something they've been craving for years: a win over a favored opponent.
In the third installment of "Michigan vs Notre Dame: Under the Lights", the Wolverines will be attempting a three-game sweep of the visiting Irish at the Big House. The first contest in 2011 saw the Domers blow a 17-point lead as the teams furiously traded touchdowns in the final minutes, and Michigan escape with the most improbable of wins. In the sequel two years later, Devin Gardner carved up the Notre Dame defense for 329 total yards and 5 touchdowns in the 41-30 Wolveirne win. There's something about this series when it's dark out. The home team has not lost a night game in this series. As in, never. With all the negative trending that's symbolized the Harbaugh regime, that is one bit of consistency fans of the maize and blue will gladly accept.
The conditions call for a rain most of the afternoon and evening, so turnovers could be a major factor in the outcome. Yes, I know. But maybe the weather will force the Wolverines to double down on each and every carry, so things may naturally take care of themselves. Rain may also allow Michigan to actually succeed in establishing an effective rushing attack, led by freshman-turned-wrecking-ball Zach Charbonnet, as they face the nation's 65th best run defense. But the ground game needs to flourish by way of a consistently successful passing attack, something the Wolverines have lacked all season. QB Shea Patterson's brightest moments have come when he's flushed out of the pocket and encouraged to wing the ball downfield. He will need to be less defensive and frankly, less offensive with his offensive play.
Maybe the most favorable condition of all may be their mindset. The Wolverines have something to prove. To their fans and alums, to their season ticket holders, to the conference and to the nation. But mostly, to themselves. They've been laughed at and bad-mouthed in the media for not showing up in big games. They've lost two straight to the Irish, the first of which was a humbling 37-0 shutout and the last of which, a 24-17 defeat to open the 2018 season, wasn't as close as the score indicated and was the first in a pair of humiliating defeats that bookended what should have been a richly rewarding season.
There is no "Revenge Tour". A division title defense is no longer in their control. This time, they're playing to see what they're made of. Harbaugh has been called out for his glaring weaknesses, and Saturday night is his best opportunity yet to silence the critics inside and outside of the program. This is why he turned down the extra millions to stay in the NFL, and return his alma mater to glory. This moment is his to seize.
One more embarrassing defeat with the nation watching, and he'll need a lot more than bowl eligibility to keep his job secure.
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