Michigan’s national title is legitimate and will always be dirty

Outside of Ann Arbor and the Michigan alumni community, the national title the Wolverines won Monday night under coach Jim Harbaugh will forever be covered in barnacles, mud and grease.

Sorry, Michigan, but that’s the way it is. Just ask the Houston Astros.

“It couldn’t have gone any better. It went exactly the way we wanted it to,” Harbaugh said late Monday night after his team won the national championship. “Off the field, we stood strong and tall and we knew we were innocent. I just want to emphasize that.”

Thank you, coach, for your refreshing openness.

“These guys were innocent,” he said. “Yeah. To overcome that? It’s not that hard because we knew we were innocent. It went exactly the way we wanted it to.”

People in Michigan will believe it. They’ll buy it no matter what it costs. People outside of Michigan will spit it out faster than a 4-ounce cup of spoiled milk.

Of course, if you’re reading this, there’s a better than 50/50 chance that Harbaugh has agreed to become head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Maybe the LA Chargers. The Carolina Panthers. The Washington Whatever.

Harbaugh’s No. 1 Michigan Wolverines are finally national champions thanks to their 34-13 victory over No. 2 Washington in Houston. This is Michigan’s first national title since losing 12-0 under Lloyd Carr in 1997.

A week after devastating Texas in the Sugar Bowl, Washington quarterback Michael Penix, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, played more like a backup pushed into the starter’s role.

He missed open receivers. Those same receivers suffered from a terrible case of drops, one of which should have led to a touchdown in the first half. The other would have led to a crucial first down in the second half.

After a terrible first quarter in which the defense allowed two long touchdown runs and nearly 160 yards of rushing power, Washington held on and kept things exciting well into the fourth quarter.

But Michigan eventually wore down the Huskies and finished the season 15-0.

Harbaugh can now leave his alma mater and move on to his dream destination, the NFL. He actually never wanted to leave the NFL after moving from San Francisco to Ann Arbor after the 2014 season.

Within the larger University of Michigan community and among all who love the Wolverines, Harbaugh’s tenure is viewed as a heroic, unmitigated success. The former player returned to his college roots to beat Ohio State and win a national title.

Done and done.

It feels like LeBron James is returning to his hometown of Cleveland to lead the Cavaliers to the NBA title and then heading to the beach in Los Angeles.

There is one glaring difference. Unlike LeBron’s return to Cleveland, there is no scandal. No investigations for fraud. No accusations of anything.

“This team has been through so much adversity this year,” Michigan running back Donovan Edwards said on the field after the game.

Yes. Most of it is self-inflicted.

There is this memo of allegations that the NCAA sent to the University of Michigan regarding possible violations during the COVID-19 period. Within the Michigan community, these pesky little violations are being blown out of proportion and are nothing more than the result of an unnecessary witch hunt.

Michigan suspended Harbaugh for three games earlier this year to show that they take NCAA violations seriously (don’t worry, they don’t).

Bet all your money that nothing will come of these NCAA violations. In court, the NCAA has become the Washington Generals.

And then there’s the sign-stealing scandal that will forever associate this era of Michigan football; not unlike the New England Patriots and “Spygate” and “Deflategate.” It’s a funny coincidence that Michigan’s most famous football alumnus is none other than former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

It’s a nice coincidence that Michigan won its title here at NRG Stadium, just a few miles from the home of another team whose record is tainted by fraud – the Houston Astros.

How serious this sign-stealing controversy is depends on where you live and/or how much money you have bet on Michigan games.

On the court, as players celebrated after the game amid falling confetti and hugged their parents and loved ones, none of these people were thinking about the NCAA allegations or the theft of game signs. In their minds, they are all national champions.

If you live in Columbus, Ohio, or East Lansing, Michigan, what Harbaugh and his team did is worse than Pete Rose betting on baseball or Barry Bonds taking a wide range of steroids to break Hank Aaron’s record.

If you’re a Michigan man or a Michigan alumnus, what Harbaugh and his team did is just an example of sophisticated game play. That’s all. Just ball coaches being ball coaches.

Just a team looking for an edge to do the most important thing in higher education: win football games.

Over the past three seasons, few teams have won more football games than Michigan. The Wolverines have a 40-3 record over the past three years and three straight playoff appearances; UM finished 2022 and 2023 combined at 28-1, with its lone loss coming to TCU in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl.

What Harbaugh and Michigan have accomplished over the last three years is a great run by any measure. This is a good team with good coaches and a lot of good players.

Besides, these gluttons are also a bit dirty.

How dirty it is depends on where you live and how much you hate Jim Harbaugh and the University of Michigan.