Every week, Eleven Warriors dives into the mentions of Ohio State's coaches and players to bring you the #HotTakes and ramblings of Buckeye Nation. But with Ohio State sidelined due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Maryland, we had to look elsewhere for entertainment.
Fortunately, Michigan stepped up in a big way for Ohio State fans on Saturday.
While Buckeye fans rested on their unwelcome week off, the rest of the Big Ten moved on in the race for Indianapolis. Indiana blanked Michigan State 24-0 ahead of its top-10 showdown on the road against Ohio State this Saturday. Penn State secured its fourth loss in as many games when it fell 30-23 on the road to Nebraska. Northwestern and Iowa got big wins to maintain their pace in the Big Ten West division title race.
But all eyes were on Ann Arbor, Michigan Saturday night when the Wolverines hosted Wisconsin for a prime-time battle.
Michigan desperately needed a win to avoid its first 1-3 start since 1967. Jim Harbaugh's squad was two games back from Ohio State and Indiana and neck-and-neck with // checks notes // Rutgers for the rights to the Big Ten East division crown.
The Wolverines did not prevail in the Big House Saturday night. Wisconsin ran for an incredible 341 yards and five touchdowns against Michigan while Graham Mertz threw for two touchdowns in the 49-11 rout.
Harbaugh's squad, on the other hand, floundered. Starting quarterback Joe Milton completed just 9-of-19 passes for 98 passing yards and no touchdowns against two interceptions. Milton was later replaced by Cade McNamara, who provided a lift by producing the only Michigan touchdown of the game while completing 4-of-7 passes for 74 yards and no interceptions.
Needless to say, we've reached desperate times in Michigan. The clock is ticking, and with several losable games on the schedule, the Wolverines are staring down the barrel of their first losing season of the Harbaugh era.
The natives are restless, and they're ready to move on from the coach who was supposed to elevate their program beyond Ohio State and toward college football dominance.
Let's get to the mentions.
@ Jim Harbaugh
Scrolling through Michigan's mentions was a literal cathartic experience for me. I've cringed as I navigated the mentions of Ohio State's biggest names through the years, but Wolverines fans brought the heat like I've never experienced as their team was buried on Saturday night.
@CoachJim4UM your job is on the line my friend
— Matty Ayers (@mattyayers) November 15, 2020
Literally moments before the game started, this tweet came through. Not a good indicator of what was to come.
Would probably care more if @CoachJim4UM could field a team deserving to be called the Michigan Wolverines.
— crzytimes (@crzytimes) November 15, 2020
Again before kickoff and extremely uninspiring.
Never played a down of football in my life. Even I know what play @CoachJim4UM is running before the snap
— Daddy Dew (@CellyTooHardDew) November 15, 2020
Would not have included this tweet if I hadn't had the same thought several times over the last six years.
At least @CoachJim4UM has @UMichFootball fired up & prepared for the game this week...oh wait.
— Jacob Singletary (@BUWolverine) November 15, 2020
This is awkward.
@CoachJim4UM thank you for the place youve brought us to. Time 2 move on, love ya coach, but its time 2 go. UofM is regressing...plz stop the bleeding & leave#GoBlue #withoutYou
— Johnny (@revjohnny77) November 15, 2020
I assure you, this was the most polite tweet that called for Harbaugh to be fired Saturday night. And there were so, so many. I can't even say "every other tweet" was calling for his job because it happened much more frequently than that. I couldn't put the R-rated tweets in here because my mom reads this article. Hi mom.
@CoachJim4UM you are actually a bad coach and a sad failure of a professional
— Joseph (@DannyOsmond420) November 15, 2020
Say it louder for the people in the back.
I never thought Id see the day @CoachJim4UM would be worse than BRADY HOKE!!!!!!
— barley pops (@mitch1517) November 15, 2020
Sheesh, the takes are good.
@CoachJim4UM you make me miss Rich Rod.
— TrevOr (@TrevOr42893155) November 15, 2020
Liquify this tweet and shoot it into my veins.
Someone throwing shade @CoachJim4UM https://t.co/wJpxyfLGq6
— Dianne is Exceptional M.Ed. (@TxBuckeyeBabe) November 15, 2020
If I had the ability to recreate the Mona Lisa painting, I would.
Resign @CoachJim4UM
— Evan Cutler (@cutlernwahlberg) November 15, 2020
You should resign.
.@CoachJim4UM just retire bro
— Terry McLaurin Stan Account (@RealJeffThomas) November 15, 2020
You should retire.
@UMichFootball fire @CoachJim4UM ASAP. Thx luv xx.
— Mar (@MarianaRenke) November 15, 2020
You should be fired.
@CoachJim4UM please quit
— Steven Jarvi (@stevenjarvi) November 15, 2020
You should just quit.
.@CoachJim4UM pic.twitter.com/7VgZJiHmAN
— Trevor Hall (@TrevorHall_4) November 15, 2020
You just hate to see it.
@CoachJim4UM pic.twitter.com/YfjUCIL8GU
— noah (@Noah_Gilson) November 15, 2020
In the years I've monitored Ohio State coaches' and players' mentions, I've never witnessed the level of vitriol I experienced diving into these Michigan mentions.
The TEAM praying that @CoachJim4UM gets fired https://t.co/xdejFBaMVw
— harvey (@HarveyMccann) November 15, 2020
Just based on the tone of the tweets, I figured I was well into the second half of Harbaugh's mentions. Turns out I had barely reached the moment Wisconsin reached a 28-0 first-half lead.
@UMichFootball what play calling are u doing???? This has to be @CoachJim4UM last year and the offensive coordinators year please!
— Lisa Klotz (@Klotzy18) November 15, 2020
@CoachJim4UM pic.twitter.com/3eKO43xHHE
— Justin (@JZingher) November 15, 2020
As the score piled up, Michigan fans and bystanders alike took shape.
@UMichFootball @CoachJim4UM pic.twitter.com/LDTiDmAuTb
— Kevin Bryant (@KBsportsguy) November 15, 2020
@CoachJim4UM put me in a coffin
— Evan Reed (@itsevanreed) November 15, 2020
Sure.
— Curt Uebele (@c_uebele) November 15, 2020
Me too, sweet Michigan fan.
Ummmm @CoachJim4UM pic.twitter.com/FHJRShMMft
— Jonathan Young (@JonWYoung) November 15, 2020
Lose games of matter, obviously.
Total embarrassment at the #BigHouse time for @CoachJim4UM to be cut loose. The dream is over, the fire in the belly is gone. #WISvsMICH what is the alumni and boosters thinking now? pic.twitter.com/ahynUZovQy
— InfoTalkNetwork (@InfoTalkNetwork) November 15, 2020
The box of shame is unavoidable and demands justice.
@CoachJim4UM do the right thing and resign. Also give back the last two years of your salary and any bonuses. You arent a good fit for the program. https://t.co/MraBHWufJa
— Dr. Poindexter Er (@drpoindexterer) November 15, 2020
@CoachJim4UM @JayHarbaugh where is the enthusiasm unknown to mankind? MIA since 2016. pic.twitter.com/yEXX3IWldh
— King Power (@BildoGoInHammer) November 15, 2020
It's gone, y'all. It doesn't exist.
@ Josh Gattis
@Coach_Gattis 2nd and 18 and you run a QB draw, 3rd and 16 and you pass to Wisconsin.
— Tim Kolacz (@timkolacz) November 15, 2020
You mean to suggest Gattis doesn't have the best judgement in tough play-calling situations?
Interception
— Joey Mays (@jmays23) November 15, 2020
False Start
Run for minus 2 yards
QB draw on 2 and 18
Horrible pick on 3rd and 18
Michigan offense in a nut shell@Coach_Gattis #SpeedInSpace
The #blueprint is out.
@CoachJim4UM @Coach_Gattis and Don Brown...you guys gotta go. By far the worst Michigan football team I have ever watched!! Thoroughly embarrassing
— Micah Mohr (@mohr_micah) November 15, 2020
Sincerely, Life Long Michigan Fan
A ringing endorsement.
@Coach_Gattis you should be ashamed of yourself.
— El C (@theecarterc) November 15, 2020
Why are we throwing 40 yard passes when we needed 7 yards for a first down... really @UMichFootball ... @CoachJim4UM and @Coach_Gattis you suck... your QB has not shown any consistency on that throw all season... pic.twitter.com/iQKf59F6vw
— Bradley Bender (@bdbender1) November 15, 2020
All the ineffectiveness.
@ Don Brown
@FBCoachDBrown I hope you coach like your job depends on it tonight!
— Shane Willias (@Coachshane54) November 14, 2020
// Awkward stare dot gif... //
@FBCoachDBrown don't shit the bed tonight. No pressure
— Carson Gilbert (@Carsongilbert92) November 14, 2020
// Awkward stare into further abyss dot gif... //
YOU GUYS ARE A DISGRACE @UMichFootball @CoachJim4UM @FBCoachDBrown
— Glove (@TheGloveSports) November 15, 2020
Well that's settled pretty quickly.
@FBCoachDBrown gets fired after tonight right?
— Curt Falvo (@BIGHOUSE30) November 15, 2020
Hey @CoachJim4UM @FBCoachDBrown @UMichFootball @UMichAthletics @WardeManuel pic.twitter.com/uIh30Qr8Fz
— Former Michigan Fan (@TWeso11) November 15, 2020
Bring some boxes with you Monday morning @FBCoachDBrown youll need them
— John Blomstrom (@The_Johnny_B) November 15, 2020
For recycling purposes, or...?
@FBCoachDBrown
— Michael L. Moyer (@MMoyer23) November 15, 2020
Just quit. Do the program a favor and quit.
Oh. Or that.
@FBCoachDBrown https://t.co/7ezLd8gRYz
— JWK (@J_Ku1p3r) November 15, 2020
Well when you put it that way, that seems bad.
Michigan travels to Rutgers for a battle of next-to-last rights in the Big Ten East division race before it hosts winless Penn State. Maryland comes to town before the Wolverines have to travel to Ohio State for the regular-season finale.
Best of luck to the three men mentioned above.