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A new candidate has emerged as a favorite to be head coach if Michigan, Jim Harbaugh part ways
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There’s a new favorite to be Michigan’s head coach in 2021: Iowa State’s Matt Campbell.
College football fans and media have identified Campbell as a logical replacement for Jim Harbaugh, should he and the university part ways before next season.
Campbell has been excellent at Iowa State for years now. He’s 33-27 overall at Iowa State, and that includes a 3-9 record in his first season after taking over for Paul Rhoads.
Since then, Campbell’s had a winning record in every season — that’s four straight campaigns with a winning record in Ames. That hasn’t happened in almost 100 years — the Cyclones went 4-3-1 in every season between 1923-27.
In his fifth year in charge, he’ll have Iowa State competing for a Big 12 Championship on Dec. 19. ISU hasn’t won a conference title in football since 1912 when it won the Missouri Valley with a 6-2 record.
Campbell has also had success against Iowa State’s high-profile opponents. He’s beaten Oklahoma twice as an enormous underdog. He’s also defeated Texas in back-to-back years.
If there’s one drawback to Campbell at Michigan, it’s that he’s struggled to beat his main rival in Iowa. He’s 0-4 vs. the Hawkeyes, although two of those losses came by three points or less.
Here’s some of the reaction from college football media and fans about the potential of Campbell landing in Ann Arbor:
If Michigan and Harbaugh split, UM needs to throw all that salary at Matt Campbell.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 28, 2020
Matt Campbell should be at the top of the Michigan list if Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines part ways.
— Kevin Negandhi (@KevinNegandhi) November 27, 2020
I have to say, Matt Campbell took the worst P5 program in the history of CFB to a B12 title today. Scott Frost blamed iowa coaches for clapping too much. Frost is now 10-19 at Nebraska.
— Rick Webster (@TheRickWebster) November 28, 2020
Matt Campbell, you have Michigan on Line 1.
— Dirk Chatelain (@dirkchatelain) November 27, 2020
The more I watch Iowa State, the more I wish Matt Campbell was the coach at Michigan.
— Javier C. Guerra (@jcguerra1993) November 21, 2020
Michigan, come get Matt Campbell please… signed all of the Big 12.
— Jeremy G. (@okbroncos) November 27, 2020
If I'm the athletic director for the University of Michigan, I am negotiating a buyout settlement with Jim Harbaugh, and then I'm handing Matt Campbell (Iowa St.) a blank check and telling him to name his price.
— Roberto Shenanigans (@Rob_Shenanigans) November 27, 2020
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.