HOUSTON – The Michigan faithful who made the trip to Texas to see their Wolverines play for a championship were out in full-force this morning. If there was one thing that was made crystal clear from these fans, it’s that they’ve moved on from the sign-stealing ordeal, just like ESPN has seemingly moved on from the Pat McAfee situation.
It was just after 9 a.m. local time when the Wolverines made their way into the convention center to the sounds of ‘Hail To The Victor.’ Having already gone through something similar last week during the semifinals, both teams had a quiet confidence about Monday’s matchup for the title.
There weren’t many questions that were going to catch either team off-guard, but there was plenty of room for conversation. Both Washington and Michigan players made their way around to different photo booths, looking to let off a little steam before practice later in the day. Whether it was gigantic hats or players interviewing each other, both seemed to fit the part.
Underneath all of the charisma lied a nervousness for both teams to finish the job. But that could wait for another day, as both teams had one last moment to shine off the field. It was a setup like what you would see at the Super Bowl media day, the only thing lacking were the crazy questions and guys walking around promoting their favorite energy drink.
Michigan Fans Are Tired Of The Outside Noise Created
Thank goodness there’s only one game remaining on the schedule for Michigan, because fans are tired of hearing about Connor Stalions.
“I could care less about that guy, all he did was bring an onslaught of negative media attention to our team,” one Michigan fan noted. “If we win the championship on Monday night, the NCAA would have to come to Ann Arbor to pick up the trophy. Good luck with that. That team has proven they can win without some dude stealing signals. You act like other teams don’t do the exact (same) thing.”
As for whether or not players should get some of the revenue generated by the NCAA, Jim Harbaugh has one hard stance on that matter.
Before I knew it, a few fans clad in maze and blue had surrounded me to give their opinion on the matter. The one takeaway I have from all of the delightful comments was that Michigan fans are sick of hearing about it. From a players perspective, let’s just say that the media relations department has done a pretty solid job preparing these student-athletes for the pending questions.
But this was also a festive day, as the players not sitting at a podium were scattered around the bleachers in-front of the speaking stage. Most of the Michigan entourage were closely monitoring what some players would say regarding questions tied to Stalions. The only thing missing this week is an overreaction to the ‘catapult’ video system, which drew headlines last week at the Rose Bowl.
Jim Harbaugh Not Saying Much Regarding Future
If you thought Jim Harbaugh would give some grand gesture of hope for upcoming seasons, you were sorely mistaken on how the Michigan coach handles himself. Regarding his future plans, or potential jump back to the NFL, Harbaugh weirdly said he hoped to have a future.
“I’ll gladly talk about the future next week, and a future. I sure hope I have one, how about that?” Jim Harbaugh mentioned. “Yes, I hope to have one (future).”
So go ahead and prepare yourself now for the chatter to officially begin for Harbaugh and the NFL, if it already hasn’t hit your market. There’s no denying that the Michigan head football coach would love another crack at a Super Bowl, but that could be a hard ask.
Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy is mobbed by Michigan fans hoping to get an autograph from the star QB before the title game.
If he were to win on Monday night, I think the decision becomes that much easier. But if here were to lose to Washington, how does Harbaugh retain a clear mind knowing he never brought a national title to Ann Arbor?
The simple fact is that Harbaugh’s agent Don Yee is handling the job of figuring out if the next level is worth it right now. Sure, Michigan’s administration would be upset, along with thousands of fans, but he has to do right by himself. This is why I see Harbaugh returning in 2023, because he has so much left to accomplish if he doesn’t win a title.
Pat McAfee Conversation Had Some Buzz Around ESPN Event
The conversation surrounding the remarks from Pat McAfee were certainly discussed among members of the media on Saturday. One of the most discussed questions between folks was why he thought it would be a good idea to crap on your boss, on national television. After searching for a representative of College Gameday, a colleague passed along the information that everything was still a ‘go’ for him to appear on the show.
Judging by the comments made by ESPN this afternoon, it sounds like the network wants to handle this Pat McAfee situation internally, which would probably be the best move. But in any case, the folks around the network had a few tense moments, as its talent took to the stage for a Q&A session, hoping to steer clear of the whole Pat McAfee situation.
Washington Out Here Living The Life As Pac-12’s Final Chance
The final chance for the Pac-12 to win a national title in football comes down to exiting member Washington, which is a tad bit awkward. After a season full of a lot of highs, the school had to make a decision that suited it best, which is why moving to the Big Ten works out for the Huskies.
This doesn’t mean that a coach like Washington’s Kalen DeBoer isn’t up for the challenge and another reason why he is sad to see the conference go away.
“I think this year, there were a couple of times our staff looked back on it. We’re getting ready for another game in the Pac-12,” Debeor mentioned about soaking in the final season of the Pac-12.
The final case before the Washington Huskies is Monday, then the conference will start preparing for the move to Big Ten. In the meantime, coach Kalen Debeor is excited about the Big Ten move, but he’ll have to adapt with the changes.
In terms of what to expect from both teams on Monday, it certainly has the potential to be one of the crazier games of the 2023 season, given that both teams are so different.
Players from Washington and Michigan are done talking. Jim Harbaugh and Kalen Debeor will speak once last time, then it’s just time to play football. After fourteen weeks of the season, it all comes down to Monday night in NRG Stadium.