Columbus, Ohio — For Ohio State football, any development that destabilizes the machine Michigan has put together over the last few years is welcome.

According to reports, Jim Harbaugh declined a big contract offer from the Los Angeles Chargers to rejoin the NFL.A national championship trophy and two active NCAA investigations are the only things the key architect of the Wolverines’ return to apex predator status in the Big Ten leaves behind.

Fans of the Buckeyes had hopes that Harbaugh might stay until the middle of November 2021. Not even The Game could be won by the space cadet with the khaki fixation and detached news conference manner.

How times have evolved. After three straight wins in The Game, along with a few sardonic remarks about Ryan Day and that annoying unresolved sign-stealing incident, Harbaugh went from being an OSU fan’s whipping boy to a genuine Michigan villain.

At Ohio State, this news is met with mixed feelings. Without Harbaugh, Michigan might find it difficult to continue its current winning streak. But by departing now, the Buckeyes will never get to witness him cross the field and shake the hand of an OSU coach after losing. He will never be held accountable for any of the alleged offenses that resulted in his suspension, which kept him out of half the regular season games the previous year.