Jim Harbaugh hasn't dodged the truth lately of his tenure at Michigan. He knows his team hasn't won the games that matter most.
That said, he's proud of what the Wolverines have accomplished under his watch, like last season when they went 8-1 in the Big Ten. That was tied for the best record in the conference with Ohio State and Northwestern.
Harbaugh made sure to point that out in a recent appearance on Barstool Sports' podcast Pardon My Take, while acknowledging where Michigan has come up short.
"This is a bold beginning, this a new season. We've done a lot of good, including last year, we were co-Big Ten champions," Harbaugh said. "But we haven't got to be Big Ten champions and we haven't made the playoffs and beat Ohio State.
"Our goal here is to win multiple championships. Our goal is to win the next game. And then the last game for us defines the season. We have big goals, big aspirations."
Michigan's latest loss to Ohio State kept the Wolverines out of the Big Ten championship game. They were forced to watch from home as the Buckeyes knocked off Northwestern to establish themselves as conference champs.
"It defines the season," Harbaugh said of Michigan's annual clash with Ohio State. "But there's also 11 important games in front of that that dictate and define whether you win the Big Ten championship and whether you go to the playoff. And the last game defines the entire season."
There's a feeling that this could be the year Harbaugh gets the monkey off his back. Michigan is considered the favorite to win the Big Ten, which would be its first outright conference championship since 2004, while Ohio State could be vulnerable in its first season post-Urban Meyer.
Harbaugh is feeling confident as the season nears.
"I think we got a special team right now," he said. "It's a young and enthusiastic team, but a very experienced team. Really good at the quarterback position, really good up front on the offensive line. I think people are going to be surprised how good we are on the defensive line, because we lost quite a few good players this past season, but we've got some really good young players I'm excited to see. Faster. Maybe the fastest defensive line we've had. Running back is another good position for us, even though it's not a lot of names that people recognize.
"Couldn't be more excited going into the season with the guys we got."
Michigan opens the season Aug. 31 against Middle Tennessee State.
