Jim Harbaugh Says Michigan's 1st 10-0 Start Since 2006 Has Been a 'Happy Ride'

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is all smiles amid his team's first 10-0 start since 2006.

Speaking to reporters after Saturday's 34-3 home win over Nebraska, Harbaugh said this season has been a "joyful, happy ride" so far.

"It's a mission, but it's a happy mission. Not one that has any anxiety or any anger or any kind of fear to it," he added. "It's a happy ride."

Since going 2-4 during the 2020 season, Harbaugh has turned things around in Ann Arbor. Michigan has a 22-2 record in its past 24 games and made the College Football Playoff last season after winning the Big Ten championship.

The Wolverines have been one of the most dominant teams in the country this season. Nine of their 10 wins have come by at least 13 points, and their average margin of victory is 30.2 points.

A lot of that dominance has come against a favorable schedule. They have only played three opponents with a winning record coming into Saturday. Penn State is the only team they have defeated currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 (No. 14).

The next two weeks will likely provide a much better test of where this Wolverines team stands in the Big Ten hierarchy. They host No. 21 Illinois on Nov. 19 before going to the Horseshoe on Nov. 26 for their annual showdown with No. 2 Ohio State.

Every Michigan fan is likely on edge because of the looming Ohio State game. The 2006 team would start the season with 11 consecutive wins but lost 42-39 against the Buckeyes to miss out on an appearance in the BCS Championship Game.

The Wolverines have only won three of their past 19 games against Ohio State since 2001 (excluding the 2010 season because the Buckeyes vacated their wins). They haven't won in Columbus since Nov. 18, 2000.

Despite the difficult closing stretch to the campaign, Michigan should be pleased with how things have gone thus far. The program has won at least 10 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2015-16 and is in contention to make the playoff.