Ohio State Football: 3 Reasons Zach Harrison will commit to the Buckeyes

2. Michigan can’t beat Ohio State

Simply put, the biggest edge Ohio State holds over Michigan in this recruiting battle is on the field success, where the Buckeyes have dominated the Wolverines for nearly two decades.

Ohio State currently holds a seven game winning streak over Michigan, and the Wolverines have just a single win the series since 2003.

This season seemed like the best opportunity for Michigan to finally get over the Ohio State hump and seize control over the rivalry, but instead they suffered a historic beatdown at the hands of their bitter rival, losing 62-39 and seeing their hopes of making the playoff and winning a Big Ten title go up in flames in the process.

Jim Harbaugh was brought to Ann Arbor to beat Ohio State and to win the Big Ten and have the Wolverines competing for national championships. He’s done none of those things so far, going 0-4 against the Buckeyes.

Michigan hasn’t captured a national title since winning a share of the 1997 crown, and they haven’t captured the Big Ten since 2004.

Ohio State on the other hand last won a national title in 2014, the inaugural year of the College Football Playoff, and have now won back-to-back Big Ten titles.

It’s fair to question now with Urban Meyer retiring whether Ryan Day can maintain that level of success in Columbus, but Ohio State is certainly built for more immediate success during Harrison’s three or four year tenure with the school than Michigan is.

The coaching instability argument won’t get you far either, with a lackluster 2019 season potentially putting Jim Harbaugh square on the hot-seat; there also remains the possibility that he departs Ann Arbor for another crack at the NFL, though he has stated to the contrary.