Even before the news of Jim Harbaugh’s suspension broke, Saturday’s trip to Happy Valley was always going to be Michigan’s biggest test of the season thus far.
It may not have been their prettiest of games, but the Wolverines passed that test, coming away with a 24-15 win. It was the fewest points the Wolverines have scored and most they've allowed in a game this season.
Blake Corum carried the load, scoring twice on 26 carries for 145 yards in what was reminiscent of an old school Big Ten battle. The Wolverines passed the ball just eight times – with JJ McCarthy completing seven of them – for 60 yards.
Penn State found the bulk of its success on the ground too, with 164 rushing yards compared to just 74 through the air.
The win came less than 24 hours after Michigan received word from the Big Ten that Harbaugh had been suspended for the final three games of the regular season in the midst of the in-person scouting and sign stealing investigation.
Late Friday night Michigan filed for a temporary restraining order looking to block the suspension from taking immediate effect, but the case will not be heard until Friday.
In a postgame interview on Fox, an emotional acting head coach Sherrone Moore said that win was for Harbaugh.
“”I wanna thank the Lord. I wanna thank Coach Harbaugh… I love you, man. I love the s**t out of you, man. We did this for you, for this university, the president, our AD. We’ve got the best players, best university, best alumni in the country,” Moore said in the interview.
“These f***ing guys right here, these guys right here, man. These guys did it. These guys did it,” Moore said as he slapped hands and hugged Corum.
Corum went on to tell Fox’s Jenny Taft he “expected nothing less” from Moore and the rest of the team stepping up in the absence of Harbaugh.