Urban Meyer: ‘For Coach Harbaugh to not coach in this game, I almost start sweating thinking about that’

There has arguably never been more at stake in a Michigan–Ohio State game. Saturday will send the winner to the Big Ten Championship and likely the College Football Playoff but we have seen that over the past two seasons. Due to Jim Harbaugh and the ongoing sign-stealing investigation, there are plenty of personal feelings walking into the Big House on Saturday.

Of course, Harbaugh will not be on the sideline, serving the final portion of this three-game suspension. While Urban Meyer originally thought there was not much to the allegations put on Michigan, Harbaugh not coaching against Ohio State has changed his thought process. Meyer could not imagine not being on the sideline for The Game.

“For Coach Harbaugh to not coach in this game, I almost start sweating thinking about that,” Meyer said. “‘What do you mean you’re not coaching in The Game?’ He’s a former player, great player there. Beat the Buckeyes two years in a row.

“All of this one the line and you’re not coaching in this game? And you’re not fighting it? So, there is stuff there… It got real serious when they said ‘We’re not going to fight this.'”

Harbaugh was suspended just hours before Michigan went on the road and played Penn State. Originally, the plan was the fight the decision from the Big Ten, attempting to have him back for the Maryland and Ohio State games.

However, Michigan decided to accept the suspension and will be without Harbaugh. The players have worn shirts saying ‘Free Harbaugh’ and will clearly be thinking of their head coach leading up to kickoff in Ann Arbor. Harbaugh will have to be watching from elsewhere, though.

Meyer knew a thing or two about coaching in The Game during his time as the Ohio State head coach. He was undefeated during his seven seasons with the program. Four of those were against Jim Harbaugh, with the 2016 matchup being the most notable.

There was a ton on the line that afternoon in Columbus and has a ton of similarities to Saturday’s game in Ann Arbor. Both teams were in a position where a win was required to continue fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Meyer said there was nothing that could have pulled him off the sideline, taking the rivalry as seriously as anybody out there. Harbaugh accepting his fate is a telling sign in Meyer’s eyes.