Jim Harbaugh Is Suspended (From The Sideline) For The Rest Of The Regular Season

Wow, they really did it — kind of. On the day Michigan is traveling to Penn State for its biggest game of the year thus far, the Big Ten suspended Jim Harbaugh from being on the sideline for the remainder of the regular season.

I guess this meets the expectation of a suspension that was rumored on Friday morning, but it is a weird middle ground. He can coach all week but not on Saturday? Is he allowed in the booth? It’s a weird choice.

Regardless of the level to which you think Michigan's transgressions rise, I don't think anyone actually expected the Big Ten to do something this drastic during the season. I thought the worst-case scenario for Harbaugh would be the NFL upholding whatever punishment he got when he inevitably returns to the League next season. But Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti wanted to send a message that he is not here to fuck around and he'll punish anyone he feels deserves it, even one of the league's two biggest brands and one of its best shots at a College Football Playoff berth this year.

As a neutral observer who thinks Michigan definitely deserves some sort of reprimand but also wants to see the rest of this season play out, this feels like the wrong punishment. Even aside from the fact that a real investigation would have obviously taken longer than this, do we not want to see Michigan play Penn State and Ohio State with Harbaugh on the sideline? I want 11-0 Michigan taking on 11-0 Ohio State with both sides at full strength and Ryan Day going up against Harbaugh. Come what may after that, but that's the theatre we deserve after all of this.

Now I'm sure a lengthy legal battle will ensue between Michigan and the Big Ten, but in the immediate future, we'll see if the school is able to get an injunction to delay the suspension. As of now, however, Jim Harbaugh is done for the year, at least as it relates to gameday.