INDY

Michigan has defeated Ohio State and will represent the Big Ten East in Indianapolis next weekend.

Jim Harbaugh just notched the biggest win of his career. Michigan has gotten the scarlet and grey monkey off of its back. The Wolverines are the Big Ten East champions. 

Man, that sounds sweet.

Michigan executed its game plan to perfection against the Buckeyes today. They got the ball first and scored a touchdown right out of the gate. They didn't have to settle for field goals and they got a lot of pressure on CJ Stroud. Today, everything was working. 

The running game churned out 297 yards and six touchdowns, five of which belonged to Hassan Haskins. Cade McNamara and JJ McCarthy were good enough through the air despite not throwing a touchdown pass and special teams was solid. On defense, Aidan Hutchinson racked up three sacks, while David Ojabo consistently beat his man with speed. Michigan needed pressure from its two edge rushers and they got it. Everything came together just how it had to for Michigan to beat the Buckeyes.

The biggest storyline of the day, however, is Jim Harbaugh's new and improved record against the Buckeyes. At 1-5, it's still not stellar, but now there's a one in the win column and that is HUGE. No one can say that Harbaugh can't get it done or, to quote Paul Finebaum, that he's "incapable" of beating Ohio State anymore. We can't use the word "winless" when talking about the biggest rivalry in sports. No one can say that Ohio State will always have the upper hand. Recruits have now seen Michigan beat the Buckeyes and represent the East in the Big Ten title game. Those kinds of narratives can change programs. That's how important today's win is.

Now Michigan has to take care of business in Indianapolis in order to bring home some hardware. It'll likely be a rematch from earlier this season against Wisconsin, so long as the Badgers take care of Minnesota later today, which would seem to bode well for the Wolverines. The Badgers are now 8-3 and playing better football, but a 38-17 Michigan win in Madison carries a lot of weight in a rematch.

It's going to be fun watching the Wolverines in Indy next weekend, but today, it's all about sending the scarlet and gray back to Columbus with a big fat L.