Michigan, Jim Harbaugh savor Big Ten title after shutout win

INDIANAPOLIS — Jim Harbaugh hugged his wife and children near midfield late Saturday night, posed for pictures with them and later shook hands on a podium with Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, who last month handed down a three-game suspension for the  Michigan coach.

For the first time since Nov. 4, Harbaugh walked the Wolverines sideline as No. 2 Michigan overwhelmed No. 16 Iowa 26-0 at Lucas Oil Stadium to capture its third consecutive outright Big Ten title, a first in team history. Michigan became the fifth team in FBS history to start consecutive seasons at 13-0, and posted just the second shutout in Big Ten championship game history, after the 2014 Ohio State team that blanked Wisconsin 59-0 and went on to a national championship.

After Harbaugh congratulated defensive back Mike Sainristil on winning championship game MVP honors, Sainristil, who forced two of three Iowa fumbles in the win, turned toward Harbaugh and said, “Congratulations to you, coach. Welcome back.”

“I never left!” Harbaugh replied.

Harbaugh had served the suspension from the Big Ten, imposed on Michigan for a prohibited off-campus signal-stealing operation led by former staff member Connor Stalions, who resigned Nov. 3. After watching Michigan’s Nov. 11 win at Penn State from the team hotel, Harbaugh joined his brother, John, the Baltimore Ravens coach, for a Nov. 18 win at Maryland. He then stayed home to watch last week’s win against archrival Ohio State, which put the Wolverines in the league championship.

Although Harbaugh could lead practices and game-planning, he had no involvement with Michigan on game days, as offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore served as acting head coach. Harbaugh described his mood after Saturday’s win as “10 out of 10, happy,” and wanted to get as many players on stage for the trophy presentation as it could safety hold.

“It’s not about me, I’ve had plenty of success,” Harbaugh said. “But you know that your players can feel what its like to be a champion, their families can know what it’s like to be a champion, for my wife and my kids to have their dad by a champion, for my parents to have their son be a champion, that’s the great thrill.

The Wolverines are set to receive their third straight College Football Playoff berth Sunday.

Sainristil mentioned a favorite Harbaugh phrase, “The worm has turned,” to describe Michigan’s success since the 2020 season, when it went 2-4 and restructured Harbaugh’s contract with a lower guaranteed salary. Harbaugh added that his players “put the hook in … the worm.”