The B1G 10: Will this be the last Jim Harbaugh-Ryan Day grudge match, at least on the college level?

1. The B1G Story

I don’t want to get everyone sideways with The Game just days away, but enjoy this moment.

Live in it.

Because it may be the last time Ryan Day and Jim Harbaugh are coaching in this game against each other.

Ohio State and Michigan are unbeaten again heading into their annual fistfight, the winner advancing to the Playoff for a shot at winning it all. And that’s almost a sideshow to the drama surrounding Day at Ohio State and Harbaugh at Michigan.

“The days, the minutes, the hours, everything leading up to this game. That’s where our focus is,” Harbaugh said Monday at his press conference. “Anything else is irrelevant when you get into this kind of big game week.”

Not this time, not with these 2 coaches who genuinely don’t like each other — and are both staring down the barrel at their respective schools for different reasons.

Harbaugh has Michigan — that’s right, squeaky clean, holier than thou Michigan — in the middle of 2 NCAA investigations, the latest a future scouting scandal that led to (another) 3-game suspension.

Day has Ohio State (fans and administration) wondering if he can beat Michigan again (more on this later). Ask John Cooper how that worked out.

It’s enough to send both searching for higher ground in the land where there are no criminals and snitches, only coaches who get paid to lose more than they win: the NFL.

Would it shock anyone, if Michigan beats Ohio State — and who really cares what happens in the Playoff — that the road to safe haven begins to open up for both coaches?

Harbaugh, a former NFL coach with playoff wins on his resume, has tried the last 2 years to get to the league, but couldn’t find the right job that gave him the right amount of control. Day, a former NFL assistant, has been pursued by the NFL for the last 3 years, an industry source told Saturday Tradition.

One could be coaching the Bears (and Caleb Williams), the other could be with the Cardinals (and Drake Maye). The NFL, more than any other level of the sport, revolves around the quarterback.

Either of those likely top 2 picks is a heckuva way to begin a coaching tenure in the NFL, and a tempting ticket out of college football.

2. As good as gone

Harbaugh was asked Monday about a timeline for his contract extension at Michigan, one that was all but complete before the revelation that staffer Connor Stalions broke NCAA rules by scouting future opponents — and recently fired linebackers coach Chris Partridge knew all about it.

One that now, if you’re Michigan and staring at 2 NCAA investigations of your football program, can’t be on firm footing.

His response: “All the focus is on Ohio State. That is where we’re at.”

I can’t imagine Harbaugh is interested in staying at Michigan, nor can I imagine that Michigan — which unequivocally backed Harbaugh until it received information that Partridge knew about the future scouting — is too thrilled with continuing the relationship.

Both want 1 thing: beat Ohio State, get to the Playoff and win the national title. For the players.

Harbaugh wanted his day in court last week, and didn’t get it when Michigan finally accepted the Big Ten’s 3-game suspension. There’s only 1 way to see that if you’re Harbaugh, and it’s not good.

Michigan didn’t want to be embarrassed, even if the NCAA still doesn’t have information that Harbaugh was aware of future scouting.

And to think, we may never have gotten to this place with Michigan and Harbaugh and a man named Stalions — if only Michigan would’ve accepted the NCAA’s 6-game suspension offer prior to the season for Harbaugh misleading the investigation of illegal contact with recruits.

What NCAA investigator wouldn’t look at information from rival coaches (see: Ohio State) and laugh at the absurdity of a low level staffer donning a disguise and stealing signals?

Unless, of course, it’s the school that tried to usurp another investigation by self-penalizing its football coach who misled (the NCAA word for lied) investigators. Michigan chose 3 games for Harbaugh — and now we’re right back to 6, anyway.

Now the university has to wonder what other Harbaugh skeletons are out there that they don’t know about.

3. No more excuses

For the last month, Ohio State fans have used to convenient excuse of “sign stealing” as the reason for Michigan and Harbaugh’s back-to-back blowouts in the series.

What if Michigan, a betting favorite for the 1st time since 2018, does it again? What if Harbaugh and the Wolverines rout Ohio State (it’s not out of the question) and Day is once again on the short side of the greatest rivalry in college football?

John Cooper won big at Ohio State, but was fired because he was 2-10-1 vs Michigan. Earle Bruce was 5-4 against Michigan, and was fired — a week before The Game.

Then there’s Urban Meyer — and where this argument takes a drastically dangerous turn for Day.

Meyer was 7-0 vs. Michigan, and handed over the keys to a ready-made championship program to Day in 2019. Day beat Michigan in Year 1, Covid eliminated The Game in 2020 and then Michigan found another gear under Harbaugh.

Lose Saturday, and Day moves to 1-3 vs. Michigan and the sign stealing excuse is gone. So, too, is a shot at the Playoff.

You know what won’t be gone? The NFL.

4. The actual game

Coaching storylines have dominated The Game, but there’s another equally important battle ahead on Saturday: toughness.

Michigan and Ohio State are Nos. 1 and 2 in the nation in scoring defense. The defenses are overwhelming.

Then there are the offenses, which are loaded with elite skill players and have done what they’ve wanted week after week.

All things being equal, big games typically evolve into who gets better quarterback play. But The Game in the last 2 seasons has become a battle of brute force playing out on the lines of scrimmage.

A simple game of we’re tougher than you, with Michigan imposing its will on Ohio State and rushing for 549 yards.

Want to know why Day got hot after the win at Notre Dame earlier this year? It didn’t really have anything to do with Lou Holtz and his pre-game prediction.

It had everything to do with hearing for 2 years how Ohio State is soft in the only game that matters — and he wanted everyone to know that wasn’t the case this time around.

They’ll get a chance to prove it Saturday, with everything on the line — The Game, the Playoff and maybe the future of both coaches at their respective schools.

5. The Weekly 5

It’s Rivalry Week, and time for the annual expanded picks against the spread portion of the program.

Iowa (+1.5) at Nebraska

Penn State at Michigan State (+19.5)

Ohio State (+3.5) at Michigan

Indiana (+2.5) at Purdue

Northwestern (+5.5) at Illinois

Wisconsin at Minnesota (+2.5)

Maryland at Rutgers (+2)

Last week: 1-4.

Season: 34-26.

6. Your tape is your resume

An NFL scout analyzes a draft eligible Big Ten player. This week: Minnesota S Tyler Nubin.

“A true ball hawk safety. A big guy, with good range and can close quickly. He’s solid in coverage, and he can bring a wallop. He’s as good in run support from that spot as there is right now in the college game. He’s dangerous in run and pass blitz, and he has the burst to get home. He’s my sleeper of this draft. He has stacked up strong tape over the last 2 seasons, and has gone from a Day 2 pick to a guy who could move into the end of the 1st round.”

7. Powered Up

This week’s Power Poll, and 1 big thing.

1. Michigan: The X-factor in The Game: QB JJ McCarthy. He played big in last year’s rout, and his dual-threat ability can slow the Ohio State pass rush.

2. Ohio State: Don’t discount the full health of RB TreVeyon Henderson. When he’s right, he’s the best player on the field.

3. Penn State: Look beyond how Drew Allar played against Ohio State and Michigan. He has a TD/INT ratio of 21/1 this season as a 1st-year starter.

4. Iowa: OC Brian Ferentz has been celebrated in the last 2 Iowa home games that included a total of 37 points against those superpowers Rutgers and Illinois. It’s an Iowa thing, you wouldn’t understand.

5. Maryland: Everything about this season has been strange. The quick start, the lost middle third, and the way the Terps played (and never backed down) in nearly upsetting Michigan.

6. Wisconsin: Three unthinkable losses — Washington State, Indiana, Northwestern — have crushed what could’ve been an impressive transition season.

7. Northwestern: Coach of the Year in college football: David Braun, who can win his 7th game — seventh! — Saturday at Illinois. Remarkable considering how the season began with Pat Fitzgerald’s summer firing.

8. Illinois: Don’t make the switch back to QB Luke Altmyer now. John Paddock gives Illini the best chance to beat Northwestern — and earn bowl eligibility.

9. Minnesota: The most disappointing season in coach PJ Fleck’s tenure. The defense underachieved, and talented QB Athan Kaliakmanis never produced consistent play.

10. Rutgers: This team got Northwestern and Virginia Tech before each figured out how to win games. Other than that, Rutgers’ wins: Temple, Wagner, Michigan State, Indiana. Time to beat Maryland.

11. Michigan State: Spartans have played better in the last 3 (non- Ohio State) games. Can they get to the 2nd half against Penn State with a chance to win?

12. Nebraska: Three chances in November to qualify for a bowl, and 3 ugly losses — and the Huskers should’ve won all 3 games. Now it’s upset Iowa or add another year onto the streak of postseason futility.

13. Purdue: No idea how Purdue beat Illinois and Minnesota — and both rather easily. (I do, but it’s complicated.) Finish with a win over bitter rival IU, and at least the offseason work feels better.

14. Indiana: Time to put good tape out there for the next coach.

8. Ask and you shall receive

Matt: Where does the money go to colleges/universities when they receive a payout for a bowl game? — Chad Ruffner.

Chad:

The money goes into a pool for conference payout. Here’s how it works:

Teams earn postseason eligibility, and the Playoff committee selects the 4 tournament teams and the teams for the New Year’s 6 bowls. From there, the conference then decides, with input from the schools, where the remaining teams will play in the postseason.

Every bowl eligible program is given money by the conference for expenses. The rest of the funds are placed in a pool, and divided equally among conference membership.

9. Numbers

13. How did it crater so quickly this fall at Minnesota, including shocking losses to Northwestern, Illinois and Purdue? Defense. Minnesota was 3rd in the Big Ten in scoring defense in 2022 (13.8) and is currently 10th in the league (26.8) — a whopping 13-point increase.

Those elite offenses at Northwestern, Illinois and Purdue (that’s sarcasm, folks) combined to score 113 points on Minnesota — 37.6 points per game.

10. Quote to note

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule: “They’re pretty crushed emotionally. But that’s OK. It shows they care, and it shows that they put a lot into it.”