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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — When suspended Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh addressed his team Friday night, he recited Bo Schembechler’s famous line — “The team, the team, the team” — but personalized it to the men in the room.

“Coach said last night: ‘This is the ultimate team,'” said Sherrone Moore, Michigan’s offensive coordinator, who led the third-ranked Wolverines as acting head coach for the third consecutive week. “We’ve got each other’s back on the field, off the field, and we know that we’re always going to respond.

“The guys don’t flinch.”

Michigan continued to make its case Saturday as the nation’s most resilient team, if not its best, with a 30-24 win over No. 2 Ohio State, the Wolverines’ third straight in the rivalry. Despite Harbaugh’s suspension, the ongoing NCAA investigation into prohibited off-campus signal stealing and several key injuries, the Wolverines haven’t flinched or lost as they now advance to the Big Ten championship game with a chance to win three straight outright league titles for the first time in team history.

“The whole mantra: the team, the team, the team,” said quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who completed 16 of 20 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown. He said Harbaugh told them before the game: “We are that team.”

After jumping ahead 14-3, Michigan saw its lead vanish midway through the third quarter. But the offense responded by scoring on its final three possessions — six of its final seven before a kneel-down to end the game — and junior safety Rod Moore, a native of Clayton, Ohio, sealed the win by diving to intercept an underthrown Kyle McCord pass at Michigan’s 22-yard line with 25 seconds left.

The Wolverines have won three straight against Ohio State for the first time since 1995 to 1997, after dropping 15 of the teams’ previous 16 meetings.

“It was a dream come true, making the game-winning play on one of the biggest games, probably, in college football history,” Rod Moore said. “I was on the field, just looking like, ‘I just called game. I did that.'”

Harbaugh watched from his Ann Arbor home, serving the final game of a Big Ten-imposed suspension for Michigan’s program, stemming from the scouting operation led by former U-M staff member Connor Stalions, who resigned on Nov. 3. The Wolverines improved to 6-0 without Harbaugh, who missed the team’s first three games after Michigan self-imposed a suspension for the coach, due to an NCAA investigation for recruiting violations. Harbaugh will return to the sideline Dec. 2 against Iowa in Indianapolis.

“Whether [Harbaugh] is here, whether players are hurt, it doesn’t matter, the job has to get done and the job will get done,” said senior running back Blake Corum, who rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns against Ohio State. “It’s been great, a little adversity, feeling like everyone’s against you, Michigan versus everybody. … Obviously, we wish [Harbaugh] was here, but he’s done a phenomenal job preparing us all week for Saturdays.”

Moore’s final pregame interaction with Harbaugh was twofold. Harbaugh told the 37-year-old that he loved him, and to be himself in calling plays for the biggest game of his career. Two weeks after Michigan ended its road win against Penn State with 32 consecutive run plays, Moore kept the pedal down.

The Wolverines went 3-for-3 on fourth downs and opened the fourth quarter with a halfback pass, as Donovan Edwards connected with tight end Colston Loveland for a 34-yard gain, setting up the second of James Turner‘s third field goals.

“It goes back to the kids, how they prepare, how they attack things and how they work,” said Moore, who improved to 4-0 as Michigan’s acting head coach. “I’d be doing them a disservice if I try to be conservative. When they’re going out there running 150’s In the summer, blood, sweat and tears, working their tails off in the weight room, doing everything they can, they put the trust in me as a play caller on offense to be aggressive in these games.

“That’s what they want, so that’s what we gave them.”

Michigan never trailed in a game where it lost All-Big Ten guard Zak Zinter to a gruesome lower-leg injury — the senior was carted off the field late in the third quarter and taken to a local hospital — and cornerback Will Johnson, who set up the Wolverines’ first touchdown with an interception deep in Ohio State territory.

Corum, playing in his final game at Michigan Stadium, broke Hassan Haskins’ single-season team record for rushing touchdowns with his 21st and 22nd scores. He did it against an Ohio State defense that had allowed only three rushing touchdowns all season before Saturday.

The Wolverines became the first Big Ten team to win 30 consecutive regular-season games, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The team’s recent surge, though, has come under greater scrutiny because of the NCAA investigation. Moore said he would like to weigh in on the perception of Michigan’s success, while adding that the Wolverines have proven they’re as good as any team in the country.

“The thing that I just think of is, we only care about us, we only care about what we’re doing and how we feel and that fulfillment internally,” said McCarthy, who could end his college career 3-0 in The Game. “Everyone else can have their opinions, and we’ll just keep doing us.”

Michigan continued to tighten its grip on both the Big Ten and the Buckeyes, who will have their longest drought without a conference title in a decade. Asked if Ohio State’s emphasis on increased physical toughness showed up, Wolverines wide receiver Roman Wilson replied, “Definitely not.”

“You want to put on the Louie V, the $1,000 outfit, like, you want to act hard, but when they’re out there, they’re not hard,” said Wilson, who had a 22-yard touchdown catch. “I see the film. You’re not tough. I don’t think I’m the toughest guy in the world, but I’m out there, I’m getting physical.

“I don’t think they wanted it like how I wanted it.”

Michigan’s next want is another Big Ten championship, with Harbaugh back on the sideline, and a return to the College Football Playoff.

“When you say something, you have to stand on it,” Corum said. “I put it out there before the season that we’re going to do all these things. I knew I was going to have to back it up. My team came together and we all backed it up.

“But it’s like Kobe Bryant said: The job’s not finished, man. We have a lot of work to do.”

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Sources: Vols moving on from QB Iamaleava

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Sources: Vols moving on from QB Iamaleava

Tennessee is moving on from starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava, sources told ESPN, in the wake of his decision to not attend practice on Friday amid NIL contract discussions with the school.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel informed the team at meetings Saturday morning. Tennessee plays its spring game Saturday afternoon. Sources said Iamaleava missing practice Friday proved to be the tipping point.

The standoff between the two sides stemmed from Iamaleava’s contract, and the school decided to cut ties after those talks emerged publicly this week and Iamaleava subsequently skipped practice.

Iamaleava just completed his redshirt freshman season, which means he would have three seasons remaining at his next destination. The spring transfer portal opens Wednesday, and he is expected to be the most notable player available.

Iamaleava showed promise his first year as a starter, leading Tennessee to the College Football Playoff and a 10-3 season. He threw for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He completed 63.8% of his passes.

The Vols’ offense finished No. 9 in the 16-team SEC in scoring offense last year in league play, and he was the league’s No. 10 quarterback in passing yards per game (200.6).

The move puts both Tennessee and Iamaleava in difficult situations heading into the 2025 season. Iamaleava’s departure leaves Tennessee with just two scholarship quarterbacks, neither of whom has started a college game, so there are going to be inevitable additions.

One factor looming over both sides is that SEC rules prohibit transferring within the conference in the spring if the player desires immediate eligibility. That means Iamaleava can’t go to an SEC school and no quarterback on an SEC roster can go to Tennessee if they hope to play in 2025.

Per ESPN sources, officials from Tennessee’s collective have already begun reaching out to third parties tied to potential Iamaleava replacements for 2025.

With Iamaleava’s future uncertain, collective officials began to make calls Friday to see what the potential market could look like. One quarterback got more money from his school Friday after Tennessee’s collective called third-party officials tied to him, a source told ESPN.

This move puts redshirt freshman backup quarterback Jake Merklinger in the driver’s seat to be Tennessee’s starter next year. It’s difficult, though not impossible, for a college quarterback to come in, learn the offense and win the starting job in summer camp. True freshman George MacIntyre is the backup, and Tennessee has a top-10 recruit in the Class of 2026, Faizon Brandon, committed. He is a five-star who is ESPN’s No. 3 overall quarterback.

The market for Iamaleava will be a fascinating one, especially if he’s seeking the same amount of money (in the mid-$2 million range). While there is available money in the system the next few months before the era of revenue share is codified, it’s difficult for a program to bring in a quarterback transfer with high-priced NIL demands in the late spring portal.

It not only is potentially disruptive for the current quarterback room, but it also could disrupt the locker room. Also, many schools have their quarterback salaries structured for 2025.

The move to cut ties with Iamaleava has unfolded as classic tale of modern college football, as Iamaleava arrived at the school with a historic contract reported to be worth more than $8 million over the life of the deal.

He now leaves both Tennessee’s quarterback room and his own future shrouded in uncertainty.

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QB Sullivan enters portal after 1 season at Iowa

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QB Sullivan enters portal after 1 season at Iowa

Quarterback Brendan Sullivan, who started games midway through the 2024 season for Iowa, entered the transfer portal Friday.

In a social media post, Sullivan said he “loved and enjoyed every second” he spent with the Hawkeyes but opted to enter the portal in his “best interest.”

Sullivan, who transferred to Iowa from Northwestern last spring, took over for Cade McNamara midway through a game against his former team and then started the next two games against Wisconsin and UCLA. After missing two games with an ankle injury, he returned to start the Hawkeyes’ 27-24 loss to Missouri in the Music City Bowl.

In January, Iowa added quarterback transfer Mark Gronowski, who won 49 games and an FCS national title at South Dakota State. Gronowski underwent offseason shoulder surgery and has not participated in the Hawkeyes’ spring practices. He told reporters Thursday that he’s ahead of schedule in his recovery and has started to throw passes with the goal of being 100% by June 1.

Iowa also added Hank Brown, a transfer from Auburn who made two starts in 2024.

A native of Davison, Michigan, Sullivan completed 38 of 53 passes for 475 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, while adding 150 rushing yards and four touchdowns for the Hawkeyes. He started games for Northwestern in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons, recording 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, but transferred after falling behind Jack Lausch on the spring depth chart.

Sullivan redshirted in 2021 and has one year of eligibility left.

“Someone is gonna get a great dude and a hell of a competitor in Sully!” Iowa general manager Tyler Barnes posted on X.

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Hall of Fame DE Freeney joining Syracuse staff

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Hall of Fame DE Freeney joining Syracuse staff

Pro Football Hall of Famer and Syracuse alum Dwight Freeney has joined the Orange staff in player development, the school announced Friday.

Freeney played defensive end at Syracuse from 1998 to 2001, totaling 34 sacks before becoming a first-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2002. He spent 16 seasons in the NFL, becoming one of the greatest pass rushers of all time.

In 2024, Freeney was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He had his No. 54 jersey retired at Syracuse later that same year.

“The time is now,” Freeney said in a statement. “I think that Syracuse has a lot of good things going. A great foundation and I think they need a push to be able to maintain and exceed that — that is what I hope I’m able to do. My schedule is now a lot freer than it has been in years past, so I’ll be able to help however is needed and in whatever way I can.”

Syracuse went 10-3 last year in the first season under coach Fran Brown.

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