The Michigan Wolverines got a massive monkey off their backs yesterday afternoon, defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium for their first win against their chief rival since 2011. It was especially satisfying for head coach Jim Harbaugh, who had been 0-5 against the Buckeyes since his return to Ann Arbor as head coach.
Michigan will now move on to face the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship game next week. And Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz, a Michigan native from Royal Oak, has had nothing but good things to say about their next opponent.
“To play an opponent like Michigan is a thrill for us,” he said today.
Of course, he was watching yesterday’s game in Ann Arbor.
“Michigan played yesterday … the way they’ve been playing all season long,” he said. “They present a lot of challenges for you — they’re a tough team to prepare for.”
He also singled out Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum, but with a caveat:
“Both of their backs have been stellar,” he explained. “I think they’re doing a nice job up front, with all five guys coordinated. I know they’ve run the ball effectively, but they’re not a one-dimensional football team.”
Next week’s game will kick off Saturday night at 8:00 PM EST.
