Jim Harbaugh takes clear shot at Ryan Day after rivalry win

Jim Harbaugh on Saturday got his first win in six tries against Ohio State and wasted little time settling scores.

Michigan had beaten the Buckeyes just twice in the last 20 years coming into Saturday, and Harbaugh had a personal record of 0-5 against his rivals. That had become a very popular talking point among Ohio State faithful, and the school has embraced it everywhere you look.

When Harbaugh was asked about that trash talking in recent years after Saturday’s win, he did not hold back. He made a remark about some people being born on third and thinking they’ve hit a triple.

This is widely being viewed as a shot at Buckeyes coach Ryan Day, who inherited the program from Urban Meyer. Day was never previously a head coach but got to take over for Meyer, who had Ohio State running as a national powerhouse and a top destination for recruits. Harbaugh was 0-4 against Meyer but is now 1-1 against Day.

There appears to be a mutual dislike between the two men, as Day and Harbaugh sparred on a head coaches teleconference in 2020. That led Day to make a bold statement to his team. Saturday’s game marked the first meeting of the two schools since then.

The quote is reminiscent of the Harbaugh that first arrived at Michigan back in 2015. That Harbaugh was happy to lob missiles at rivals over anything and everything. Those comments had become less frequent in recent seasons as criticism of his lack of titles mounted. He’s at his best when he’s like this, so Michigan fans should be very encouraged to see these kinds of comments again.

Photo: Nov 16, 2019; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh reacts during the second half against the Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports