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Jim Harbaugh explains 'third base' comment toward Ryan Day before Ohio State vs. Michigan

colin gay, the columbus dispatch
·3 min read
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Last season, after Michigan football has secured a 42-27 victory against Ohio State, Jim Harbaugh called for the Wolverines to "move on with humble hearts," while saying there were things that spurred his team on over the course of 2021.

With it came a comment that spurred Ohio State on for the past season.

"Sometimes people are standing on third base, think they hit a triple, but they didn't," Harbaugh said, a comment that seemed to target Ohio State coach Ryan Day about taking over the program from Urban Meyer.

What did Jim Harbaugh's 'third base' comment about Ryan Day actually mean?

The Michigan coach explained himself on the "Stoney and Jansen" radio show on Detroit radio station WXYT-FM 97.1 The Ticket Tuesday morning.

"It was definitely a counter punch by me to the comment of 'They're going to hang 100 on us,' et cetera," Harbaugh said. "Kind of like a Sugar Ray Robinson.

Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, left, and Ohio State's Ryan Day have not always had the friendliest relationship.
Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, left, and Ohio State's Ryan Day have not always had the friendliest relationship.

"The fact is, I think Ryan Day is a great coach," Harbaugh continues. "I think he is a tremendous football coach. Truth be known, that's how I feel. You can see it week after week with his team. He's as good a coach as there is in football."

When Day was asked about the comment made by Harbaugh in his press conference Tuesday, the Ohio State coach declined.

"Maybe there's another time to hit on that," Day said. "But like I said, there's certain things you listen to, there's certain things you don't. Any time you're in a high-profile game with a lot of stuff going on, there's a lot of things said. But there's a time and a place to talk about that. And it's not now.

In August 2020, it was reported that Day told his team he wanted to "hang 100" on Michigan after getting into a disagreement with Harbaugh on a teleconference with other Big Ten coaches, something Day declined to comment on when asked about it later.

Harbaugh did not care to elaborate when asked about his postgame quote at Big Ten football media days or when he was asked about it during his Ohio State press conference in the context of being "good-hearted rivalry talk."

"I guess," Harbaugh said. "Kind of irrelevant is what I think. I think that's irrelevant."

College football rankings 2022

Here's a look at the College Football Playoff's third ranking of the 2022 season.

  1. Georgia (11-0)

  2. Ohio State (11-0)

  3. Michigan (11-0)

  4. TCU (11-0)

  5. LSU (9-2)

  6. USC (10-1)

  7. Alabama (9-2)

  8. Clemson (10-1)

  9. Oregon (9-2)

  10. Tennessee (9-2)

  11. Penn State (9-2)

  12. Kansas State (8-3)

  13. Washington (9-2)

  14. Utah (8-3)

  15. Notre Dame 8-3)

  16. Florida State (8-3)

  17. North Carolina (9-2)

  18. UCLA (8-3)

  19. Tulane (9-2)

  20. Ole Miss (8-3)

  21. Oregon Satte (8-3)

  22. UCF (8-3)

  23. Texas (7-4)

  24. Cincinnati (9-2)

  25. Louisville (7-4)

Ohio State football's 2022 schedule

Michigan football's 2022 schedule

  • Sept. 3: Michigan 51, Colorado State 7

  • Sept. 10: Michigan 56, Hawaii 10

  • Sept. 17: Michigan 59, UConn 0

  • Sept. 24: Michigan 34, Maryland 27

  • Oct. 1: Michigan 27, Iowa 14

  • Oct. 8: Michigan 31, Indiana 10

  • Oct. 15: Michigan 41, Penn State 17

  • Oct. 29: Michigan 29, Michigan State 7

  • Nov. 5: Michigan 52, Rutgers 17

  • Nov. 12: Michigan 34, Nebraska 3

  • Nov. 19: Michigan 19, Illinois 17

  • Nov. 26: Michigan vs. Ohio State, Columbus, Ohio, noon

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jim Harbaugh explains 'third base' comment toward Ryan Day