Harbaugh: Wolverines need to get ‘over the top’

1:02 pm | December 29, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:

5:52 PM ET

ATLANTA — Despite Michigan’s losing at least its last two games for the third consecutive season, Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh said he doesn’t anticipate making wholesale changes to his program or coaching staff.

The Wolverines started 10-1 this season but fell to rival Ohio State 62-39 in the regular-season finale — the most points Michigan had allowed in the storied rivalry — and lost to No. 10 Florida in a 41-15 defeat on Saturday in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

“I think we’re going to take what we have and reload a new season and tighten up and keep working to put it over the top,” Harbaugh said.

The Wolverines are 38-14 in four seasons under Harbaugh, who is the third-highest paid coach in college football with an annual salary of about $7.5 million. Only Alabama’s Nick Saban ($8.3 million) and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney ($7.6 million) are paid more.

Harbaugh’s teams are now 0-4 against the Buckeyes, 2-2 against Michigan State and 1-3 in bowl games. His past three teams went 21-3 before Oct. 31 but 7-8 thereafter.

“It was a very good season,” Harbaugh said. “It would have been a great season if we’d won this game, but we couldn’t get it done. My feeling about the team is we’re right there at the top. But we have to put it over the top, especially in the big games at the end of the year.”

The Wolverines played the Gators without four of their top players — leading rusher Karan Higdon, offensive tackle Juwann Bushell-Beatty, linebacker Devin Bush Jr. and defensive end Rashan Gary — who skipped the bowl to recover from injuries or prepare for the NFL draft.

Harbaugh said he believed that his team was emotionally ready to play Florida.

“I thought they were emotionally ready, yeah,” he said.