Sans Harbaugh, U-M says 'staying together' key in 'huge' PSU win - ESPN

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — When Michigan's team plane touched down Friday afternoon, coaches and players learned that the Big Ten had suspended coach Jim Harbaugh for the final three-regular season games, beginning with Saturday's showdown against No. 10 Penn State.

«Horrific timing,» offensive lineman Trevor Keegan said.

But the eleventh-hour discipline for Harbaugh in the sign-stealing scandal couldn't derail the third-ranked Wolverines, who outclassed Penn State 24-15 to improve to 10-0 on the season. Michigan didn't complete a pass in the second half — its only attempt resulted in a pass interference penalty on Penn State — and ran for 227 yards and three touchdowns against the nation's No. 1 rushing defense. The Wolverines became the first Big Ten team not to attempt a pass in a half since 2013 (Ohio State against Florida A&M) and the first non-service academy to do so since both Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern in 2018.

Despite Harbaugh's watching the game with his family from the team hotel in nearby Boalsburg, Michigan flustered Penn State throughout and then celebrated afterward. Chants of «Go Blue!» filled Beaver Stadium as Penn State fans filed out, and Michigan acting head coach Sherrone Moore, tears streaming down his face, pumped his fist toward Wolverines fans encircling the team's tunnel.

«We know that there's a target on our back right now and we love that s---,» Keegan said. «As players and staff, having a one-track mind and staying together. The storm's coming. We are the storm. That's our mentality.»

Michigan players celebrated with Harbaugh afterward. Running back Donovan Edwards called him on FaceTime, and the team conducted its traditional singing of «For He's a Jolly Good Fellow.»

«He was the jolly