Jim Harbaugh dishes on his night-before-the-game routine ahead of CFP championship

College football fans may wonder how coaches are able to sleep even a wink the night before a national title game. Well, according to Jim Harbaugh, they may not be.

During the final press conference for both head coaches prior to the championship, one reporter asked Harbaugh what his typical routine looks like the night before a game and if the title game will shake that up at all. The Michigan coach answered that he does have a process the night before games, starting with one last team meeting before everyone hits the hay.

“I really like to, the night before, you know, have that meeting, be with the team, be with the teammates, get together and watch — there’s still preparations to go over. You know, a review, re-write all my notes. But then get with the guys and have that meeting, get the red blood pumping.”

After that, some leisure time: “And then, back to the room, watch a movie, then go to sleep.”

Though, that process isn’t always so easy. Sometimes, Harbaugh really struggles to find that peaceful rest the night before a huge game. That’s why he thinks it’s important to get a great night of sleep the day before.

“Sometimes, the two nights before is the sleep you play on,” he added. “I’ve always just liked — I have no scientific evidence to present to you on that. I just know, when I played, and sometimes when I coached, too, and just the night before the game, I don’t always sleep great.”

“So I’ve convinced myself that if I get at least two nights, the night before the night before the game, if I get a great night’s sleep there, I go ‘that’s the night of sleep you’re playing on.'”

If Jim Harbaugh does manage to catch a full eight hours of shut-eye Sunday night, though, then Washington may be in big trouble.

“Then, if you get a really nice sleep the night before a game, then that’s a real bonus. That’s the way I think of it.”

Harbaugh and the Wolverines do have the advantage of getting to sleep in, a rarity for their program, as they typically kick off at noontime in most of their conference games and played in the Rose Bowl semifinal game that kicked off at 2 p.m. local time in Pasadena. In the title game, they’ll kick off much later in the evening. So if Harbaugh’s restless and can’t get to sleep, he’ll have plenty of time for a nap prior to Monday’s kickoff.