Reports: Harbaugh to Get $5 Million at Michigan

((ht: footballscoop.com))

So apparently new Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh will NOT be the highest paid coach in College Football.

According to reports; Harbaugh has told Michigan athletic director Jim Hackett a $5 million deal will be fine with him. Harbaugh apparently has said he'd rather the extra money go for his assistants. That word came from John Bacon who spoke with Hackett Tuesday morning.

BREAKING NEWS: Straight from UM AD Jim Hackett. Harbaugh's salary will be roughly $5M a year, plus incentives, same basic contract as 49ers.
— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) December 30, 2014

That sigh of relief you hear might be from the Alabama booster club...

Just kidding...

Harbaugh will officially be introduced at Michigan Tuesday at noon and will be introduced to the student body at a Tuesday night home basketball game. The game by the way has been dubbed a "Khaki Out" by the students in honor of Harbaugh's frequent use of Khaki's as his pant of choice...

Reports had circulated earlier this month that UM was floating an $8 million, 6-year deal for their new coach and though the length of the contract has not been disclosed...and $5 million is still a lot of money, it's a lot less money than originally thought.

Congratulations to the Michigan fans, you got your man. Now let's see if he can sort out your mess and return you to the glory you feel like you should have.

REPORTS: Harbaugh accepts Michigan job

Well, that didn't take long.

OSG sources are reporting former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has agreed to take over the helm of the Michigan Wolverines. There is a news conference scheduled on Tuesday in Ann Arbor with interim AD Jim Hackett. Harbaugh and his family were scheduled on a private jet from San Fran to Ann Arbor at 10:00am PST this morning, so that's just a coincidence, right? *insert eye roll here*

The details of the deal have not been released, but it was reported earlier that Michigan offered Harbaugh a six-year contract worth at least $48 million. Michigan officials did meet with Harbaugh Sunday night after the embattled head coach and the 49ers organization "agreed to mutually part ways."

Harbaugh played QB for Michigan under legendary head coach Bo Schembechler.

More details when they become available.

Michigan Fan Uses Matthew McConaughey Voice To Plead for Jim Harbaugh

((ht: bleacherreport.com))

Haha! By any means necessary...right?

Check out this video produced by a Michigan fan using Matthew McConaughey's voice over from the Lincoln commercials underneath photos of former Michigan grad and current San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh...

What better way to sell the program for a potential new coach right? Ha!

For those not aware, reports are circulating Harbaugh has a contract offer on the table from his alma mater. It's just a matter of waiting until til the Niners season ends in two weeks to see if he leaves.

Our guess: He will. And while Michigan is certainly trying to buy his love at $8 million a year, there's no guarantee he won't stay in the NFL...

Your video:

NFL Network: Jim Harbaugh Has Offer on Table from Michigan

((ht: nfl.com))

It appears the rumbling we've been hearing about the University of Michigan trying to woo San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh may have some truth.

We've been monitoring several reports from the Detroit area stating Harbaugh is telling his former teammates its "Time to get the Band Back Together"...but there's been nothing concrete.

Until now.

Ian Rappaport of NFL.com reports Michigan has offered Harbaugh a proposed contract that would make him the highest paid coach in College Football.

The offer: 6-years, $48 million dollars. Yes, $8 million a year. Or $1 million more than Nick Saban.

Just make it stop.

Ah...but anyway. Read Rappaport's story RIGHT HERE

Harbaugh is expected to leave...or be asked to leave the 49ers at the end of the season. Amid rumblings of discord in the Bay Area. The Niners are 7-7 on the season and have been officially eliminated from the playoffs.

But there are two weeks left in the season. So don't expect this to become official. At least not until after the 1st of the year.

If it happens at all.

Harbaugh will get opportunities in the NFL, though the price will be a draft pick. Don't expect that to stop the Oakland Raiders...or possibly the Miami Dolphins from looking into him.

But can they afford to pay him?

Reports: Embattle Michigan A.D Brandon to Resign

((ht: espn.com))

According to a report by Brett McMurphy of ESPN.com, University of Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon is set to resign the job Friday afternoon.

Which, based on the hate and vitriol spewing from Ann Arbor these days--is likely the cause for celebration.

Brandon has taken a lot of heat for the abysmal performance of the football team and some off...and on the field issues surrounding it.

Among them: Coach Brady Hoke's poor handling of the concussion suffered by QB Shane Morris during a game. Hoke allowed Morris to go back in despot Morris's wooziness and wobbling. That began a vigorous campaign and rally by students on campus to have Brandon fired.

Brandon has also gotten heat for getting testy with alumni and others who have criticized him or the team via e-mail and social media.

And his poor idea of giving away student tickets to anyone who bought two 20oz Coke's for the Minnesota game. Yeah, that didn't go so well either.

Michigan per the Detroit News is holding a 1:30pm
press conference to make an "Announcement". The general consensus is that it will be to announce Dave Brandon's fate.

Soccer What? 109,000 See ManU vs. Real Madrid in Michigan

Yeah, sure, there are still plenty of old school, narrow-minded people in the U.S who say nobody cares about soccer in the U.S.

We'd argue they are wrong.

Dead wrong.

109,000-plus...a U.S record crowd...showed up Saturday to watch the Real Madrid vs. Manchester United friendly game at the University of Michigan's massive football stadium.

Yes folks, 109,318 people showed up to see a soccer game.

The game was won by Man U and stars like Wayne Rooney and Christiano Ronaldo played in the game, but it's the fact so many people came out to the game that makes this a big story.

Your game highlights:

B1G Review: Michigan Shatters Records, NW Season Shattered...

((HT: BTN))

Kinda hidden in all the numbers yesterday was the day that Michigan QB Devin Gardner had playing pitch and catch...

584 yards of total offense with 503 of them in the air...
Jeremy Gallon caught 14 passes for 369 yards receiving...
Evidence below...


The HQ knew that Indiana could score points and rack up yards on their own, as they're now 3-4 and could handle Penn State earlier in the year, but much like a lot of other teams they can't stop anyone when it matters...

Michigan, by the way, is 6-1 after winning 63-47...

Brady Hoke was quoted as saying that all he cares about was winning the game... that is accurate these days in the current state of college football...

Elsewhere... Minnesota knocked off Northwestern, who only two (three?) weeks ago was the darling of everyone... Ohio State had issues early with Iowa before winning their 19th straight, and Illinois proved they can't stop anyone either in their 56-32 loss to Illinois...

ICYMI: Awkward Interview of the Year: Eminem on ESPN College Football Show

Yikes!

If you haven't seen this, it's worth about 4 minutes of your time only because it's an absolute train wreck.

Since ESPN has apparently contracted with Eminem to produce music for their Monday Night Football broadcast, some genius at the 4-letter decided it would be "cool" to have him promo it Saturday night at halftime of the Notre Dame/Michigan game.

And yeah, it was as bad as it could possibly have been.

Awkward.

Brent Musburger tries at first to get Em talking, Em looks totally lost and uncomfortable. Brent keeps poking, asking questions about the music and the artist known as Marshall Mathers answers, though he looks and sounds like he'd like to be anywhere other than where he is.

Meanwhile Kirk Herbstreit just stands there.

At about the 2 minute mark, Brent becomes Brent and asks Mathers about the betting line on the Detroit Lions/Minnesota game Sunday afternoon. Eminem dodges it as best he can. Towards the end, Mathers goes on a old announcer riff.

Priceless...

OSG College Football Crystal Ball Part 2

Eastern Kentucky at #8 Louisville

What does Louisville head coach Charlie Strong think of Eastern Kentucky?

“It’s a solid football team.”

The Colonels did whip Robert Morris 38-6 last week.  Expect EKU to take the six figure check from Louisville and take a whoppin’ themselves

Louisville 55, Eastern Kentucky 3

UAB at #9 LSU

13 years ago the Blazers defeated the Tigers 13-10.  No way in hell that happens again.

LSU 42 , UAB 14

#12 Florida at Miami

Al Golden is yet to have a signature win during his tenure at Miami.  Saturday is the Hurricanes chance to make a statement and provide the benchmark win for Golden.

“It’s obviously a big game, but worrying about anything on the outside is not going to change what happens in between the lines.” Golden said.

A ton of Hurricane recruits will be in Sun Life Stadium too and Golden would like to make an impression on their young minds.

Florida head coach Will Muschamp also wants to leave a mark on South Florida.

“They have players every year, you take Broward and Dade county, those two alone, the number of players that sign out of there every year.” 

So instead of the Seminole War Canoe the two teams played for annually until 1987 the Gators and Hurricanes play to impress high school players.

It will be a close on but the “Canes prevail.

Miami 31, Florida 28

#13 Oklahoma State at Texas-San Antonio

When Mike Gundy was the quarterback for the Oklahoma State Cowboys Larry Coker was his offensive coordinator.

 “I have always enjoyed being around Coach”  Gundy said.  “As a player, I enjoyed his approach to certain plays. He kept the game simple and as a player I really enjoyed that."

“Mike has done a great job there.” UTSA head coach Larry Coker said. “He was a very smart player and tremendously competitive. He was a playmaker when there weren’t plays to be made. He was an outstanding player. He’s very confident and you can see that in their team now.”

Oklahoma State is in San Antonio for two reasons, get a win and impress recruits in Southwest Texas.

“They do a great job at recruiting Texas and I think they want to continue that.” Coker said.

The Cowboys will do both.

Oklahoma State 49, UTSA 6

#14 Notre Dame at #17 Michigan

“It's a great and historic rivalry that we'll be playing this Saturday, so let's get that out of the way right away so we don't have to answer any more questions about this rivalry.”  Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelley said.

Sounds like the Notre Dame head coach is bored with the rivalry with Michigan.

Michigan head coach Brady Hoke understands the whole nation watches this one.

 “….it must have some sort of national appeal.” Hoke said. “ Coaching in a lot of places, and maybe it's just me, but I know that whenever Michigan and Notre Dame was on TV, I was going to be watching it. I know people in Corvallis, Ore., were going to be watching it.”

And those people in Corvallis should see a Michigan win.

Michigan 21, Notre Dame 17

#15 Texas at BYU

I bet you didn’t know this, BYU has a 2-1 edge in the series.  The last time the “Horns played the Cougars in Provo they lost.

“I think it's a unique place.” Texas head coach Mack Brown said. 

Yes it is coach Brown but Longhorn nation should like the result.

Texas 35, BYU 31 

Denard Robinson: Not to be Confused With Good 1st Pitches

((ht: cbssports.com))

It might be a good thing that now former University of Michigan QB Denard Robinson is trying to ply his wares in the NFL as a Wide Receiver.

Because had he stayed at quarterback, he'd probably never live down the 1st pitch he threw Tuesday afternoon at a Detroit Tigers home game.

Well, okay, this is making the rounds on the Interwebs right now, so he may not live it down either way.

Check out the GIF from CBSSports.com:

What's Wrong With This Header...???

((HT: WashTimesMike/Mike Harris))

Ol' Eagle Eyes, Mike Harris, caught something...
Can you...???


Jim Boeheim would be pleased...
Carry on...

Your Average B1G Buzzer-Beater (And A Dunk)

((HT: cfbsectionhoops))

Just when you thought the game was over when Michigan had knocked down a three...
Ben Brust did something to match...


But not to be outdone in regulation, Jared Berggren channeled Vince Carter on the drive...
((HT: BTN))

JD Clowney- Oh, Good Lord!

((HT: ESPN))

Remember the reaction from Ed Helms in "The Hangover" when he saw the first pictures stuck in the camera...???

Well, the same could be said here...


Jadeveon Clowney separates Vincent Smith from the football, his own equipment, and anything else within a seven-yard radius...

And he, now, has made himself, (health permitting) the number one pick in the 2014 NFL Draft..

Corch Urban Meyers Get Undefeated Season At tOSU

((HT: WBNS-TV))

In a back-and-forth game reminiscent of just about every other game in the series, Ohio State held on to beat Michigan 26-21 at the Shoe...

The Buckeyes were down 21-20 at the half and kicked two field goals for the second half scoring- despite the thought that they could have scored more than just the six points...

More like 14...

Ohio State (now 12-0, 8-0 in the Big Ten/12/14) has an outside shot at finishing at the top of the final Associated Press Top 25 poll, but they're going to need some help- and a lot of lobbying from Columbus...

Jim Tressel was allowed on campus long enough to honor the 2002 national champ team. He was as warmly received as one would expect by the largest crowd to ever see this game...

All of the above causes fans to do this...

Uh Oh: Red Hot Chili Peppers sing Michigan fight song at Columbus, OH concert

((ht: detroitnews.com))

Uh...we guess very few people have accused rock stars of being bright. And this is certainly an example of that.

Apparently, a little over a week ago, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were wrapping up their performance in Columbus, Ohio when they got ready to hit their encores.

That's when drummer Chad Smith began signing "Hail to the Victors" to the raucous mostly Ohio State crowd.

One problem...that would be Michigan's fight song.

Needless to say, it didn't go over real well...and the Peppers were summarily booed off the stage.

Your video--because almost everything ends up on YouTube:

Matthew Stafford does a good, good thing

((ht: detroitnews.com))

Sometimes NFL Football players do things to remind you that they aren't all getting arrested, in trouble or using drugs.

A story in today's Detroit News detailed a gesture that Detroit Lions and former University of Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford recently made to a patient at the University of Michigan's Mott Children's hospital and her family.

Stafford was at a benefit put on by Michigan football alums Brian Griese, Charles Woodson and Steve Hutchinson. He attended the events charity auction and ended up bidding on a gift he himself donated to the auction. Tickets to a Lions game.

He bid $15,000 for the package and won...then immediately Stafford and his girlfriend turned to the family of Faith Falzone who is soon going to be having surgery at the hospital...and gave them the tickets/prize.

As the story goes, Stafford spent a good chunk of the event with Falzone's brother Will and asked him what prize he thought would he'd like. He mentioned the tickets. The rest is....well...a great story.

Read more from the Detroit News RIGHT HERE

We applaud young Mr. Stafford whom we've known since covering him at the University of Georgia. Over the years, we've probably interviewed him 25-30 times. He's a very, very sharp kid and to quote friend of the OSG Gil Tyree "He Gets It".

We hope that Falzone and her family enjoy the "Monday Night Football" package and something tells us there will be more than just game tickets waiting for this one.

And The Third One... Ohio U Over Big Blue

((HT: WXYZ-TV Detroit))

This, admittedly, was a game that some people circled as a possible upset... and those that did have this one either had a lot of courage in their brackets knowledge or were flat crazy.

Walter Offutt left tOSU because he didn't get enough playing time. He went down the road to Athens, Ohio, got his playing time, and got the Bobcats a win over Michigan 65-60 to face a Round 3 opponent.

But, when Michigan shoots only 41-percent compared to 51-percent by the Bobcats, that'll do it as well. The last time Ohio made it to the tournament, two years ago, they upset another three seed in Georgetown.

So, the lesson learned here is not to make Ohio U. a three-seed under any circumstances...

Here's the postgame...

Rich Eisen's Son Has Pipes

And he's being given the Maize and Blue fancy drinks at a very young age...

This morning on the "Dan Patrick Show," young Zander Eisen (all 3-and-a-half years of him), wouldn't let Dan get to him during Dora The Explorer. But when he was done...

He let Dan and the Danettes hear it...
((HT: dp101directv))


Well done, young man...
Even if it was Meecheegan...

A Night Of Screwjobs: Violence Out Of The Question

First was the thought that Wisconsin sent their game with Michigan State into double overtime, but they didn't...

Upon review... here's David Kmiecik...
((HT: NBC15 Madison))


But violence is out of the question for Ryan...
((HT: shipjumper99))


And Virginia Tech had a lot of confidence pools messed up with their overtime reversal... thanks, New Orleans...
((HT: ESPN on ABC/mgovideo))


With the appropriate amount of Beamer postgame...
((HT: mgodisney))


What say you...???

TWTW: Michigan Breaks tOSU Skid, Boise, Oregon Also Win Again

((HT: WXYZ-TV Detroit))

Denard Robinson accounted for five touchdowns helping Michigan beat Ohio State 40-34 and snap a school-record seven-game losing streak in the rivalry.

The Wolverines are now 10-2/6-2 and the Buckeyes are 6-6/3-5
Here's Brady Hoke's postgame...


Can Boise get any love now that they're number seven in the Bee-Cee-Ess...???

Kellen Moore threw three touchdown passes, including a last-ditch 46-yarder on the final play of the first half, and Doug Martin rushed for two scores for Boise State's 36-14 victory over Wyoming on Saturday

Here's the full game story from our friends at KTVB-TV...


Oregon took care of Oregon State in The 115th Civil War game, but now have to monitor the health of LaMichael James' elbow. He was hurt on a third-quarter hit in their 49-21 win.

Oregon now hosts UCLA for the first Pac-1 title game Friday night...

Here's the first half highlights...it's what we call, in TV terms, "raw video."
((HT: KVAL-TV))