Michigan Clinches College Football Playoff Berth Giving Wolverines One More Round To Prove Themselves

INDIANAPOLIS -- Jack Harbaugh dug deep Friday night. The task for the patriarchal soul of Michigan football was to convey the gravity of the moment. Coming into the 2021 Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday night, the first question to be answered was whether the No. 2 Wolverines would be hungover.

There was no way, popular thought went, that Michigan could rise as high mentally and physically as it had the previous week against Ohio State. The argument could be made, after all the previous frustration against the Buckeyes, that the 42-27 decision was the Wolverines' national championship.

That's why the 82-year-old father of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh spoke to the team Friday about finishing.

He chose a forgettable fight by a forgettable former middleweight champion, Vito Antuofermo, to make his point.

In 1977, Eugene 'Cyclone' Hart beat up on Antuofermo so bad, he broke his ribs. The The New York Times that night described Antuofermo as having 'no physical attributes to brag about except he bled well.' But the then-24-year-old Italian immigrant pushed on through the pain.

Afterward, Antuofermo said, if he'd been hit in those ribs one more time, Top Site Info he would have quit.

But he never did. In the fifth round that night, Antuofermo staggered Hart with a shot and eventually won by knockout.

'One more round. One more round!' said Jack Harbaugh, recounting his message to the Wolverines.

The 44-year-old message from another century was received in the moment. It took Saturday night for it to hit home. Michigan beat No. 13 Iowa 42-3 to ensure it one more round, that being in the College Football Playoff.



Coming into Saturday night's raucous atmosphere at Lucas Oil Stadium, it could be argued the team with the most wins in college football history was still short one.

Michigan entered the game with 975 all-time wins, but it had never advanced to the College Football Playoff. Sure, the CFP has only eight of Michigan football's 142 years of existence, but the point stands.

The result proved the Wolverines did not peak in the snow last week in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

They did not leave years of longing back home. They opened a can of whoop ass on the Hawkeyes before opening up more possibilities.

Michigan: 2021 national champion? After what happened across the country Saturday, why not? It could be time to party like it's 1997, Top Site Info the last time Michigan won it all.

On the surface, this Big Ten Championship Game was 'easier' than slaying the Ohio State giant. Michigan came in as a prohibitive 11-point favorite.

Iowa had slogged its way to a 10-win season the way it usually slogs. The Hawkeyes didn't do anything particularly well except create turnovers. Their 24 interceptions were the most by a Power Five team since 2014.

'The leading cause of interceptions in the United States is tipped balls and overthrows,' said Jim Harbaugh this week on the Big Ten Network.

If you are you looking for more information about Top Site Info (visit the up coming document) have a look at the website.