Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh just sent a message

EAST LANSING, Mich. — This evening, the undefeated Wolverines (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) faced the struggling Michigan State Spartans (2-5, 0-4 Big Ten) at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. For the Maize and Blue, today’s game comes off the heels of a chaotic week due to a new NCAA investigation into illegal sign-stealing tactics — there is still no proof of such allegations. That said, with the NCAA coming after Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh, outside noise regarding his contract, and more, the Wolverines’ 9th-year head man sent a message this evening.

Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh just sent a message

This evening, Michigan football killed the Michigan State Spartans in a victory that this rivalry has not seen in quite some time. The Wolverines marched right into East Lansing, and yet again, starters like JJ McCarthy and more were out of the game before the third quarter came to a close.

For Jim Harbaugh and his Michigan football team, it was clear that this game meant more than any other on Michigan’s schedule thus far. The Wolverines are once again in the national spotlight due to the NCAA investigations. Harbaugh’s NFL rumors, and so much more.

Wolverines needed more than a win over the Michigan State Spartans

Michigan didn’t just want a win today — it wanted to make a statement to the NCAA that it’s a national title contender. Jim Harbaugh also clearly wanted his signature victory over the Spartans, and Michigan football wanted to prove that — despite the outside noise — nothing could shake this year’s team.

At halftime, Michigan football led 28-0; in fact, it was nearly 35-0 if it weren’t for a last-second false start by Donovan Edwards, who vacated a touchdown and ran the time off the clock. Still, Michigan came out just as hot in the second half, piling on even more points before the starters came out.

Impressive blowout sends Michigan football into the bye week with an 8-0 record

All said and done, Blake Corum punched in a touchdown, JJ McCarthy threw for four more, and even Mike Sainristil — a cornerback — got in on the action, recording a second-half pick-6.

Michigan football and Jim Harbaugh didn’t come to East Lansing this evening to win a football game; it was about so much more. The Wolverines came to send a message, and that is exactly what they did, downing the Michigan State Spartans by a score of 49-0 and holding MSU to 190 total yards, even with the backups playing around 1/3 of the game today.

Next weekend, Michigan football will take its perfect 8-0 record into a much-needed bye week before hosting Purdue at the Big House in Week 10.

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