Jim Harbaugh coached circles around Ryan Day to get his first Michigan win over Ohio State

Jim Harbaugh got his first win over Ohio State as Michigan head coach by outcoaching Ryan Day when it mattered the most in The Game.

The biggest knock on Jim Harbaugh in his tenure as Michigan head coach was his record in The Game.

Whether the Wolverines were competitive or not, the head coach had five meetings with Ohio State and five losses on his record.

The sixth time was the charm.

Harbaugh’s Michigan finally got over the hump on Saturday, beating the Buckeyes 42-27. It was the program’s first win in the rivalry game since 2011.

How did it all come together for the Wolverines? Harbaugh flat out outcoached Ohio State’s Ryan Day.

Jim Harbaugh outcoached Ryan Day as Michigan beat Ohio State

In the simplest sense, Harbaugh’s team looked more ready for the game than the Buckeyes. Their ground game embraced the snowy weather and gained 297 yards on the ground with Hassan Haskins scoring five touchdowns.

Ohio State’s run game managed a mere 64 yards.

By dominating on the ground, the Wolverines kept C.J. Stroud on the sidelines, standing in the chill. When he got on the field, he was met with a ferocious pass rush. The offensive line proved shaken with false start penalties. They let defenders through for sacks and tackles for loss.

The penalties were a problem for Ohio State throughout. They had 10 for 66 yards compared with two for 20 for Michigan.

The Buckeyes and Wolverines had multiple extracurricular confrontations, in the tunnel had halftime and during the second half. Instead of quieting the crowd, it revved them up. Michigan just fed off the energy.

Harbaugh and his staff got just about everything right and the players reflected that. Day had a tough job coaching in The Big House but he got it wrong.

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