The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1488967
JANUARY 2023 THE WOLVERINE 25 "I remember in the hallway outside of my office, my first handshake with Ben Herbert," Harbaugh said. "It was unforgettable, if anybody has had a first handshake with Ben Herbert. He shakes your hand, he kind of leans in, and it's like he's looking right through your en- tire soul. "I got to the point where [looking off to the side, in a higher-pitched voice], 'I cannot look at you anymore. I must avert my gaze!' I knew that was the guy, right there. "I hired him the next day. I don't think I did any more interviews after that. The next day when I greeted him in the morning, it was on. It was a contest. There was no possible way I am averting your gaze. He stuck right in there, too. I think I won the second time around." Michigan won both times around, in the most recent iterations of The Game. Suddenly, the Buckeyes are averting their gaze. ❏ Ohio State losing to Michigan in The Big House last year shook the Buckeyes, leading to 365 days of determined preparation for payback. Losing decisively to the Wolverines in The 'Shoe left them plaintively seeing answers. "This is not the outcome we all envisioned," Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said. "I thought we had really good preparation. I thought we were building toward playing re- ally well in this game. "We were fighting there in the first half. I felt really good going into the second half, and we just didn't execute well enough in the first half. I thought we played hard, I thought we were fighting out there, but in the end, we came up short." Ohio State fans and former players harbored thoughts that cannot be repeated in print. Meanwhile, national media of- fered its take on the new sheriff in the series. Richard Johnson, Sports Illustrated: "There is no way to sugarcoat it — the Buckeyes got absolutely dominated by rival Michigan at home in the game's biggest regular-season contest." Pat Forde, Sports Illustrated: "The beatdown in the 'Bus turns the tables on this great rivalry. Michigan is in charge now. Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh has emphatically taken over after his finest moment yet at his alma mater. "His team shrugged off injuries to key players, weathered an early storm, gained confidence and instilled doubt in Ohio State, wore down the opponent and turned a close upset into a second straight rout of the program that once tormented him. The tougher, more resilient, more focused team won." David M. Hale, ESPN: "The beauty of the showdown Sat- urday between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan is that it was not simply a matchup of playoff contenders in a heated rivalry game, but such a stark contrast in styles. "Ohio State is the sports car, all flash and speed with more skill position talent than the average Big Ten team has in a decade. Michigan is a Jeep, a rugged machine designed for brute force. The Wolverines win not by sprinting past oppo- nents, but by running over them. "While Ohio State was unable to maneuver the foothills in its souped-up sports car, Michigan showed it can sling it around the field, then run it down your throat. And while the Buckeyes were knocked from their place atop the list of contenders for Georgia's throne, Michigan may well have delivered a statement that reverberates beyond Big Ten country. This team is for real." — John Borton Buckeye Nation Reacts After Another Blow Graduate edge rusher Taylor Upshaw (91) recorded the first of the Michigan defense's two interceptions to shut down Ohio State's final two drives. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL