Jim Harbaugh or Urban Meyer: which Big Ten coach will become the Alpha Male of the league? Which coach receives more marshmallow soft coverage from the media? Seriously, Big Ten Network, ESPN, everybody out there; they act as publicists, not journalists, when it comes to “covering” both Meyer and Harbaugh.
We covered “the why” behind Meyer here.
So what are the odds Harbaugh gets the Michigan Wolverines league relevant in 2015? 2016? When does UM become nationally relevant again?
Jim Harbaugh-at-Michigan Odds (according to MyTopSportsBooks.com):
Over/under on wins for Michigan in its first season under Jim Harbaugh: 7.5
Over/under on years it takes Jim Harbaugh to win a Big Ten title: 2.5
Over/under on years it takes Jim Harbaugh to make the CFP: 2.5
Over/under on years it takes Jim Harbaugh to win a National Championship: 3.5
Over/under on years before Jim Harbaugh returns to the NFL: 3.5
So there you go, Michigan fans. Your expectations have been set. UM should win 8 games next year; they should win the Big Ten title in 2017. They should also make the college football final four that year. Your khakis infused national championship, the first for the program since 1997, is coming in 2018.
Oh, and Harbaugh will return to coaching in the NFL in 2019. So there’s all your headlines- you’ve heard it here first.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net ,which is partners with Fox Sports. Read his feature stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on KOZN 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks). His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN 2