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David Hale, ESPN Workers WriterNov 12, 2023, 02:08 AM ET
- ACC reporter.
- Joined ESPN in 2012.
- Graduate of the University of Delaware.
Michigan performed its fourth recreation of the season without head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh started serving his 2nd suspension of the season after the Great Ten imposed a 3-recreation ban for breaking sportsmanship rules against on-situation scouting of opponents’ indicators. And the Wolverines performed, for the first time this season, against an opponent that in actuality regarded as if it could possibly presumably additionally want a shot to bag.
All of this constituted potentially seismic shifts in the Great Ten’s strength structure, and but, when the mud settled on Michigan’s 24-15 bag, we had been left with the identical legend we bask in now seen all season.
Michigan obtained, and even supposing the recreation was as soon as ostensibly shut for quite rather a lot of the scheme, the Wolverines had been never in staunch hassle.
Penn State misplaced, and James Franklin is now 4-16 against Michigan and Ohio State in his career in Elated Valley.
Harbaugh’s future stays doubtful, but his influence was as soon as felt all the identical, as Michigan’s gamers spent Friday on social media promising to ship a message and spent Saturday on the field at Beaver Stadium emphatically punishing Penn State for perceived crimes against them levied by — well, as their beanies and T-shirts indicated, everyone.
Blake Corum and other Michigan gamers carrying “Michigan vs All people” beanies this day. pic.twitter.com/SGFdyO6b7g
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) November 11, 2023
(In the event you are maintaining note, it’s “Michigan vs All people” and “Ohio State vs. the world.” We’re now not entirely sure either aspect desires to steal on the SEC, even supposing.)
The Wolverines had been relentless on offense, running the ball again and again and again — at one level on 20 straight snaps — against an exhausted Penn State defense. They moved the ball a few yards at a time, methodically demoralizing the Nittany Lions, death by a thousand paper cuts, till Blake Corum sniffed the end zone and ended the misery.
Penn State was as soon as listless on offense, ignoring, another time, any thought to be a downfield passing recreation and leaving Drew Allar to dance round the backfield, taking a thought off one target after another outdated to checking down for another misplaced motive. If Michigan overwhelmed Penn State 3 yards at a time, the Nittany Lions demoralized their bask in followers by shifting the ball 3 inches at a time.
Even supposing Michigan had all of Penn State’s indicators, a CliffsNotes model of the Lions’ playbook and James Franklin’s ATM pin code, none of it could possibly presumably’ve been considerable.
So after a season during which Michigan’s first nine games had been shrimp greater than batting follow outdated to Saturday’s showdown with Penn State, this will likely likely presumably additionally soundless in actuality feel bask in something necessary, an legit announcement that, in spite of any agenda-based fully skepticism, Michigan is a championship contender.
But no. The legend is about Harbaugh, a narrative written in court docket filings and message board furor and breaking information alerts.
It was as soon as a narrative advised through Sherrone Moore, working as meantime coach Saturday, sobbing (and losing a few curse phrases) in his postgame interview. It was as soon as, relying in your level of view, an emotional catharsis or but another moment of Michigan victimizing itself.
It’s a narrative that will be shrouded in mystery, equivalent to the achieve Harbaugh will consume recreation days from now through the showdown against Ohio State. We contemplate he spent Saturday in his underground lair, perfecting the house laser he’s designing to explode the moon, but in actuality, the rest is that you would possibly presumably presumably think of.
It’s a narrative that will be adjudicated — by the Great Ten, by followers, by media, by courts, by Connor Stalions’ vacuum company patrons — with most spicy a passing nod to due direction of, purpose truth or reasoned context.
In the end, it’s OK to discern the opponent’s indicators from TV copy, or the all-22, or to call up faded graduate assistants to dish on their archaic team, however it’s now not OK to aquire a impress, take a seat in the stands and watch. Whether that makes sense would possibly possibly presumably additionally very well be a noteworthy inquire of, but the most spicy concern at hand is whether Michigan broke a rule — a literal written rule and, per chance, the unwritten rule during which gamesmanship is OK unless it’s overly convoluted, entirely silly and performed by a man with a hilarious establish. (Of level to: Our solution is a college soccer “Purge Day,” during which all cheating is appropriate for one Saturday a 365 days.)
How the scandal ends is,