It’s been a long time since Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh played football, but he showed some impressive elusiveness and quickness Monday night when it mattered most.
After Michigan knocked off the Washington Huskies, 34-13, in the CFP National Championship, as Harbaugh congratulated players and coaches on the sideline, someone snuck up behind the coach with an orange bucket.
Anyone who’s watched a key football game knew what was coming next, the clichéd Gatorade bath. Coaches generally hate them, but they’re a tradition, so coaches generally take a soaking for the team, everyone gets a good laugh, then coach walks around with wet clothes. Except for Harbaugh, who famously doesn’t like the practice, and routinely dodges the soakings. He noticed the ice bucket tilting Monday night and darted away like Blake Corum dodging a defender.
A couple of players appeared to get soaked, along with an assistant or two. But Harbaugh stayed dry, ending up 15 or so yards away.
“He got out of there,” ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said.
“He is uncanny at avoiding that,” ESPN’s Chris Fowler noted.
Jim Harbaugh with the impressive escape from the Gatorade bath. pic.twitter.com/TyfmC7waPa
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 9, 2024
It’s not a stretch to say Harbaugh’s act provided a perfect metaphor for the Wolverines’ unusual season. Harbaugh’s two suspensions and Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal were a sticky mess. Yet the team ultimately dodged that mess to come out looking great in the end with a perfect record and national championship.
But then, a funny thing happened — the Wolverines caught up to their coach and soaked him.
Jim Harbaugh eventually got hit with a Gatorade bath after all. 🏈🏆 #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/HnbTL6nCQy
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 9, 2024
The two incidents amused fans on X/Twitter.
He know something😂😂 https://t.co/Bm2oZ7At5a
— X (@GMclovin101) January 9, 2024
Harbaugh HATES getting the Gatorade bath 😂
He ran away so fast 💀pic.twitter.com/KOCEgwoFA9
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) January 9, 2024
Jim Harbaugh running from the Gatorade bath… pic.twitter.com/0OMIQdMxXe
— Da Almighty Von 🔜💍💍💍💍💍 (@Da_Almighty_Von) January 9, 2024
One of the many wonderful things about Michigan winning the national championship is getting to see how visibly annoyed Jim Harbaugh is about having Gatorade poured on him for a celebration
— Tom Coveney (@tomcove6888) January 9, 2024
This is the greatest Gatorade bath evasion in history. Put it on loop in the Louvre. Jim Harbaugh sacrificed his own player and left the scene completely unscathed.
Legend.#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/nemKkBAbSS
— ᴀʀᴅᴀ Öᴄᴀʟ (@Arda) January 9, 2024
