Brady Quinn: Saturday can change everything for Jim Harbaugh, Michigan

Michigan fans have heard so much about Jim Harbaugh’s inability to beat Ohio State. But on The Dan Patrick Show this week, FOX analyst Brady Quinn said Harbaugh can turn things around this week.

The Game is coming up Saturday at noon, and the Wolverines are looking for their first win over the Buckeyes since 2011. Quinn was asked about how important this game is for Harbaugh, especially, and he talked about just how big it is for the former Wolverine quarterback — and the program as a whole.

“You could put it up there with pretty much every year,” Quinn told Patrick. “They’ve played Ohio State and tried to find … a win in the way of kind of staking his flag in this rivalry and saying, ‘Alright, I’ve arrived. I did it as a player, but now I’ve arrived as a coach,’ and I think that would be a huge signal for this program. It’s funny, the reason why I say that is Penn State, who just signed James Franklin to that extension, they’ve at least beat Ohio State. They’ve at least showcased, I think in recruiting, too, they’re a little bit more competitive in recruiting vs. Ohio State.

“I think in order for Michigan to get back, they’ve got to do it at least once. They’ve got to be able to pitch that to those recruits once. Because if I’m a recruit — and I was one at Ohio State [and] Michigan — and if I was looking at these two schools and you have this long line of Ohio State wins vs. Michigan, and as much as they can preach to you, ‘Well, you can be the change. Come to Michigan, help us beat Ohio State. You can be the change,’ you’re still going to say, ‘I’d rather go with the team that has a better chance of winning a national championship.'”

Brady Quinn: A Michigan win would be huge for the Big Ten title game

Quinn also said a Michigan win would have impacts on the Big Ten championship game. Wisconsin is tied for first atop the Big Ten West standings, and the Badgers are in good position to appear in the conference title game.

Remember, the Wolverines beat Wisconsin 38-17 on Oct. 2. Quinn argued that would give them an advantage in the matchup.

“If Michigan beats Ohio State, they’ve got the edge going up against an opponent they already beat in Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship,” Quinn said. “I assume that’s how it’s going to be. Then a path to playing in the College Football Playoff, they’re sitting down at five. This is monumental in the case that I think Jim Harbaugh makes not only this Saturday, but also moving forward to every recruit and every Michigan fans that he’s preaching why he should be the guy there in Ann Arbor.”