Jim Harbaugh believes Michigan is “on the cusp” of big things. Ohio State might have something to say about that.

Jim Harbaugh believes Michigan is on the cusp of big things. There’s only one problem. Ohio State is in the way already doing big things.

It’s no secret that Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh hasn’t quite fulfilled the lofty expectations that came in the same package as his hat, khakis, and awkward press conferences. Do we really need to go through the numbers?

Okay, yeah.

The Ohio State Problem

He’s only won one bowl game, has yet to make it to the Big Ten Championship Game, let alone finish higher than third in the Big Ten East, and hasn’t gotten his squad invited to the College Football Playoff either. And … lest anyone forgets, he is 0-5 against his biggest arch-rival, Ohio State.

It’s that last stat that is the biggest stumbling block for Harbaugh. No matter how far he can bring the Wolverine program to (and yes, he has made it back into a top ten program almost yearly), if he can’t be better than Ohio State, it’s going to be like punching above your weight every single year.

And that’s without an ability to move down in weight class.

Next … Harbaugh’s optimism