Jim Harbaugh on struggles vs. Ohio State: ‘Nothing makes us angrier than that’

Many articles, think pieces and hot take columns have been written about the Michigan Wolverines and the inability to solve its Ohio State Buckeyes problem. Some have even questioned whether head coach Jim Harbaugh and the program and prioritize that as something that needs fixing.

Harbaugh, who is 0-5 against the Buckeyes since being hired at Michigan in Dec. 2014, has had a few close bouts with the Wolverines’ main rival, but the last two seasons have been a different story. The 2018 season ended with a 62-39 loss in Columbus, while 2019 saw the team lose 56-27 in front of a home crowd in Ann Arbor.

Harbaugh appeared on a podcast with NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico on Wednesday and was up front about the frustrations with not getting over the hump.

“Yeah, we gotta beat Ohio State,” he said. “Nothing makes us angrier than that, or me. That’s what we’re working toward every day. We’ve beaten everybody else, but we haven’t beaten them.

“And that’s what we have to do: beat them, win a (Big Ten) championship, get ourselves in the playoffs, win a national championship.”

The Wolverines have beaten every team in the Big Ten since Harbaugh arrived except for OSU. Nobody is resting on that and calling the mountain insurmountable, despite what the gap may look like on the recruiting trail.

“We’re a high-drive team,” he said. “We’re driving toward success and want to put it over the top. Just been kind of on the outside of the playoffs, haven’t gotten in, and want to push that over the top. That’s our mission.”

Should the college football season occur on time, Harbaugh and Michigan will get their next crack at the Buckeyes on Nov. 28 in Columbus.