Michigan Football: Could a Win Over Ohio State Save Brady Hoke's Job?

Brady Hoke lost any hope of controlling his destiny when Michigan fell to Maryland 23-16 last week. The loss dropped Michigan below .500 and pinned the team’s bowl hopes on beating Ohio State in the season finale.

Michigan travels to Columbus for the 111th edition of “The Game” traumatized by a disappointing season marked by turmoil both on and off the field.

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Unlike the classic games of yesteryear, this season’s clash will have no impact on the Big Ten title race. Ohio State (10-1, 7-0 Big Ten) has already clinched the Big Ten East division while Michigan (5-6, 3-4 Big Ten) needs a victory over Ohio State to be bowl-eligible.

Michigan has limped through another mediocre season under Hoke that shows all signs of being his last.

Win or lose versus Ohio State, Hoke’s microscopic chance of survival now depends on the availability of possible replacements. Michigan needs to get the next hire right after the Rich Rodriguez fiasco and Hoke’s disappointing tenure.

Fans can scream for Hoke’s ouster, but another mediocre hire could do more damage than his return for another season.

Michigan’s quest for a top coach is hampered by uncertainty in its athletic department. New interim athletic director Jim Hackett will evaluate Hoke after the season and has the power to dismiss him. However, it’s unclear if any top coaching candidate would risk working for a temporary leader.

Hackett has done nothing to dismiss the notion that he’s a candidate to be the permanent athletic director, but for the moment, interim still means temporary.

According to Doug Lesmerises of Northeast Ohio Media Group, Michigan's top candidates include John Harbaugh (Baltimore, NFL), Jim Harbaugh (San Francisco, NFL) and Les Miles (LSU, SEC). Any of them would be greeted with enthusiasm by Michigan fans hungry for a return to national prominence.

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The next tier of rumored candidates lack the sizzle of a Harbaugh but may be more realistic options. One name that continues to bubble up is Greg Schiano (former coach of Tampa Bay and Rutgers), who has announced his intention to return in coaching.

Other names rumored to be on the Michigan’s radar include Jim Mora (UCLA, Pac-12) and Bret Bielema (Arkansas, SEC).

Whether Hoke is fired now or later depends on whom Michigan can get to replace him. If Michigan can’t get a top candidate lined up, Hoke may survive at least temporarily. The program cannot afford another bungled coaching search.

In 2006, Michigan and Ohio State entered The Game as the top-ranked teams in the nation. Ohio State triumphed 42-39 in a classic matchup between the longtime rivals. Since then, Ohio State has maintained its status as an elite program while Michigan has crashed and burned.

Michigan’s next coach will face intense pressure to restore luster to a program that has fallen on hard times. Academically, Michigan has prided itself on having top programs that compete with the Ivy league.

Another bad coaching hire, and its football program might end up better suited for the Ivy League.

Phil Callihan is a featured writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations obtained firsthand.

Follow @PSCallihan.