Mike Mulholland is a photographer.
Jim Harbaugh said it in July.
Words didn't mean much when he nearly lost his job after an off-season that many Michigan fans didn't care for. They were done with Harbaugh after six years.
Zero victories over Ohio State. There were zero Big Ten Championships. What was going to be added to the Harbaugh sound?
Harbaugh said at Big Ten media days that he was excited to win the championship and beat Michigan State. We want to do that. We're going to do it or die trying.
Harbaugh and Michigan were alive on Saturday. I'm not sure if this program and head coach have ever been more alive.
It's been a minute.
Michigan beat Ohio State. The Big Ten Championship Game will be played next weekend, and the Michigan will compete against either Iowa or Wisconsin. They are a lock to make the College Football Playoff if they win there.
On a macro level, that happened Saturday afternoon as snow covered the field and the Big House crowd brought both sound and energy to the greatest rivalry in college football.
The history between these two teams and the moment for Harbaugh, the most polarizing figure in the entire sport, was more than just the game. The impact on the sport as a whole.
Many assumed the game would fall short of expectations given the hype surrounding it. Many people pegged this as another Ohio State victory.
Two programs don't care for each other and they played a beautiful game. There are two distinct styles clashing in the elements in front of more than 100,000 people who are looking for a glimpse of something different.
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The play of a few made the game more meaningful. The performance of Michigan running back Hassan Haskins will be talked about in living rooms around the state of Michigan for a long time.
Hutchinson was tormenting Ohio State's offensive line with his three sacks. Hutchinson made himself a ton of money with the performance as NFL scouts looked on, but he was also one of the program's all-time greatest defensive players.
Ohio State did not go quietly. Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 394 yards and two scores, and his wideouts delivered circus catches throughout the day. They've been great all year, like they were with Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Every Ohio State moment was countered by Michigan. The line of scrimmage was dominated by the Wolverines, who averaged more than seven yards per carry.
The game plan was perfect, the play-calling was great, and the outcome was not seen since 2011.
The story should be about Harbaugh.
Mike Mulholland is a photographer.
He was thought to be done at Michigan a year ago. Fans were done. The administration was done. Harbaugh's body language is always hard to read and he seemed to be on his way out.
He took a pay cut to stay at the school. He was given one more chance to get it right after the contract was reworked. He bet on himself because there were no other options.
The result? He had an 11-1 regular season with a win over a team that many thought he would never beat.
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If Harbaugh had lost against Ohio State, many would have called for him to be fired. Many people assumed that the Buckeyes would roll through everything in their path, as a conversation was being had before the game was played.
Harbaugh, through the quirks and the khakis and the endless stream of sound bites, will always be assessed differently than most.
Every loss is bigger. Every moment of weakness is celebrated with a megaphone. We grade him differently than most people.
Seven years had passed since he was going to get his day. His football was big, beautiful and overpowering. It was familiar in many ways and new in others. The outcome was different, and Michigan fans are likely feeling emotions they haven't felt in decades.
It's hard not to get swept up in the possibilities and how much reach this result will have.
Ohio State might be out of the playoff because of their threat to the Georgia defense. The Buckeyes need a lot of help.
The shake-up is large. There are many new scenarios that have emerged with a week to go.
The race for the trophy? That just underwent an update as well. The loss opens the door for others.
Things feel different as the college football season ends. Michigan can make the playoffs with one more win. We have to figure out the greatest threat to Georgia now that Ohio State has fallen. Maybe we saw it.
This feels like an exception in a sport that rarely allows us to celebrate. It has been seven years of frustration. There have been seven years of doubt. Seven years of wondering when Harbaugh would have a moment. The moment has arrived.
Regardless of what happens next week or next month, or the teams that will likely benefit from one of the greatest college football games in recent memory, that moment is now.
